Pawan Kalyan angered by Chandrababu Naidu’s snub to industrialist Potluri Vara Prasad

Hyderabad: Pawan Kalyan had sent feelers to the BJP-Telugu Desam combine to spare the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat for his industrialist-producer friend Potluri Vara Prasad.

This was turned down by TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who decided to field Kesineni Nani, a local leader. Backing Mr Vara Prasad, Pawan had only on Tuesday said there was nothing wrong in the industrialist seeking to contest from Vijayawada. He had pointed out that Mr Vara Prasad had not been chargesheeted by the CBI; in fact the investigating agency had given him a clean chit.

Pawan Kalyan apparently decided to field Jana Sena candidates after consultations with a few aspirants.

Jana Sena’s chief public relations officer Vamsi Sekhar told the media on Wednesday night that the list of seven Lok Sabha seats from where the party will file their nomination papers by April 19, will be announced on Thursday.

“Pawan Kalyan himself likely to announce the details of the party candidates tomorrow (Thursday), but Potluri Vara Prasad’s name was finalised on Wednesday to contest from Vijayawada,” Mr Vamsi said.

The actor has been consistent in his statements that he will only extend support to Mr Modi, but had not directly stated that he would back the Telugu Desam even when asked specificially.

Pawan’s decision to field as many as seven candidates for the general elections in Seemandhra are expected to affect the prospects of the TD-BJP combine which had reached an accord to contest from 21 and four Lok Sabha seats respectively.

His decision to campaign against the TD-BJP combine in the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat had also come as a surprise.