NDA Setback in G.D. Nellore Polls Brings Alliance Divisions to the Fore
The defeat in Karvetinagaram is particularly significant, as it is the home mandal of TD MLA V.M. Thomas.
NDA’s poor performance in the ZPTC and MPTC elections in Gangadhara Nellore constituency in Chittoor district has brought to fore factionalism within the Telugu Desam (TD) and poor coordination among alliance partners.
YSRC won all the three ZPTC seats in G.D. Nellore. Further, it secured a majority of MPTC seats in S.R. Puram, Vedurukuppam, and Penumuru, potentially enabling it to secure the corresponding MPP chief posts.
The defeat in Karvetinagaram is particularly significant, as it is the home mandal of TD MLA V.M. Thomas. YSRC candidate Bandi Jagadish defeated Jana Sena nominee Balaji Reddy. Telugu Desam lost the ZPTC seats in Vedurukuppam and S.R. Puram, besides several MPTC seats in Penumuru, considered a party stronghold.
Political observers attributed these results partly to the failure of TD's local leadership to bring rival groups together. Each of the six mandals in the constituency has two or three rival groups. Party workers allegedly refused to campaign for candidates backed by competing factions. These differences also affected coordination within the Telugu Desam, Jana Sena and BJP cadres.
"There is a difference between having an electoral alliance and making its workers function as one team. In Gangadhara Nellore, internal rivalries appear to have undermined the alliance's combined electoral strength", P. Ravi Kumar, a political observer, said.
Discontent over Thomas's functioning has added to the party's problems. Sections of the TD cadre allege that his limited availability in the constituency and style of functioning have caused resentment. His reported preference for leaders who joined the Telugu Desam from YSRC has upset traditional party workers.
Local leaders allege that Thomas did not adequately consult them while selecting candidates. There are allegations that some NDA leaders reached informal understandings with local YSRC leaders to support each other in the current elections and the forthcoming gram panchayat polls.
The TD, however, retained the Gangadhara Nellore ZPTC seat. But its candidate A. Yesumani won by a margin of just 304 votes. The loss in Karvetinagaram, the MLA's home mandal, and the defeat in Penumuru have added to discontent within the local Telugu Desam unit.