Nellore: Telugu Desam bigwigs in SPSR Nellore district are witnessing an unprecedented stiff competition for the Kovur seat from both new entrants into the party as well as existing leaders.
Incidentally, it is not an easy feat with sitting legislator Nallapareddy Prasannakumar Reddy having won from Kovur constituency five times so far and lost only once by a narrow margin of 400 votes to Congress nominee Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy.
Prasannakumar won the seat first time with a TD ticket in a by-election held in 1993, following the demise of his father Nallapareddy Srinivasulu Reddy.
He had also bagged the seat in 1994, 1999 and 2009 elections with TD ticket. He secured the seat once again in an Assembly by-election held in March last year with YSRC ticket and he is all set to contest once again in 2014 with YSRC ticket again.
Notwithstanding, the risk of facing the mighty opponent, at least four leaders are aspiring to contest from Kovur with TD ticket.
The hopefuls include an industrialist Pellakur Srinivasulu Reddy, TD leader Yarramreddy Govardhan Reddy, Narayana Hospitals CEO Vemireddy Pattabhirami Reddy, who migrated to TD from Congress recently, and former legislator of Kovur, Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy.
Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy is yet to join TD but sources close to him said that he is ready to do so if TD offers him the coveted Kovur seat.
Polamreddy won the seat in 2004 and lost to Prasannakumar Reddy in 2009 as well as in the by-election held in March last year.
Vemireddy Pattabhirami Reddy joined TD a few months back with an eye on the seat and he is banking on Narayana Education Institutes chairman Narayana’s close links with TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu. He has also launched a door-to-door campaign in the constituency.
Not to lag behind, Pellakuru Srinivasulu Reddy also embarked on a campaign. A senior leader in TD said that Pellakuru Srinivasulu Reddy has a fair chance of securing the ticket because of his ties with TD politburo member and the senior most leader from Nellroe district, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy.
He said that Chandramohan Reddy is keen on fielding strong candidates as well those who he can trust in seven Assembly constituencies that fall under Nellore Parliament seat since he is planning to contest for the Lok Sabha seat this time.
Whoever may be the choice, the demand for the seat has enhanced the confidence levels of Telugu Desam leaders and cadres and they feel that it is a good omen for TD’s future.
