KAKINADA: Telugu Desam (TD) has entrusted the responsibility of ensuring that the party manages to bag Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections to the deputy chief minister and Home Minister Nimmakayala China Rajappa. He will be monitoring the election campaign and help in selection of candidates with the help of finance minister Yana-mala Ramakrishnudu.
According to TD circles, Kakinada MLA Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao (Kondababu) has taken up the initiative of selecting the contesting candidates.
Some of the candidates, however were not happy over the seat allocation process. Many approached the two ministers seeking party tickets for the polls.
The TD high command anticpates a threat to the party in the elections battle due to the dissatisfaction among the Kapu community and its own party cadres. Kapus are the highest number of voters in Kakinada City and fishermen community second.
At present Kapus are angry with the TD over the reservations issue. The government refused permission to Mudra-gada Padmanabham to launch a padayatra or any other agitation.
However, many Kapus candidates got the tickets from the TD to contest the elections. To attract Kapu voters, Mr Rajappa planned strategies and is holding discussions with the various communities. The Energy Minister and TD state president K. Kala Venkatrao will also visit Kakinada and observe the situation.
Meanwhile, Mr Kondababu is concentrating on trying to lure fishermen and backward class voters which are high in Jagannaickpur area. “We want to strengthen wards. Mr Rajappa can see the rest of Jagannaickpur area. We want to bring the government schemes into public minds,” said a TD leader.
He said that the TD strived hard for bringing smart city status to Kakinada. Several roads and drainages have been constructed and developed in the city. They expressed confidence in winning over the voters and their victory in the elections.
Kondababu is confidently saying that the TD would win in the KMC polls as many of the pensions, housing schemes, ration cards and all other benefits, introduced by the state government have been sanctioned to them. The voters have decided to vote for TD, he said.
Party confident, candidates sour
Telugu Dessam candidates who have filed their nominations for the KMC election are excited and confident they will be allowed to continue in the race by their party.
Most of the party candidates have filed nominations from more than two places. TD high command felt that after thorough verification of the papers and assessing the party’s strength, the party can announce the list. Candidates list for 34 divisions, however, was released. In the first list, only three candidates having mayoral hopes have found their name included — Sunkara Pavani, M. Seshukumari and A. Lakshmi Srinivas.
Decision on other candidates — Sunkara Siva Prasanna and Jyothula Indira who also aspire for the mayor’s post have not been declared for their seats allocation. Sources said that there is stiff fight for party ticket in different wards. Leaders say that differences have come up. The TD decided to give nine seats to alliance partners Bharatiya Janata Party.
The names announced by the TD to contest the KMC polls include: Perabathula Rambabu, K.B.S.N. Sathibabu, Gu-thula Achiyamma, Ban-di Satyanarayana, Am-bati Kanthi, Adduri Varalakshmi, Mosa Danamma, Tummala Sunita, Vanamadi Uma Sankar, Aradadi Siva, Malladi Gangadhar, Chodipalli Satya Ven-kata Prasad, Chavva-kula Rambabu, Palivela Ravi Anathakumar, Kop-panahi Naga Satyanara-yana, Vanamadi Shiva Prasad, Guthula Jagadamba, Dokuburra Badram, Kamadi Sitha, Sangana Nandam, Rajana Manga Ratnam, Sunkara Pavani and Badam Balakrishna.
