Nellore: Notwithstanding to the advantage of being in power for almost four years, Telugu Desam Party has failed to strengthen the party not only in seven assembly segments in the district that it lost to YSR Congress in 2014 but also in three segment where party nominees were elected. Popular feeling among politicos is that TD is in a disadvantage position because of lack of district-level leadership and coordination between the second rung leaders at segment level. Infighting among second rung leaders has become hallmark of the party in several segments.
Interestingly, there was unity among the party men though it was not in power between 2004 and 2014 and senior leader Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy had a grip over party affairs in all the constituencies. However he became aloof after his defeat in Sarveypalli constituency for third time in a row in 2014 elections and he almost confined to his segment even after he was elevated as MLC in 2015 and as a minister in April.
Though urban development minister P. Narayana is actively moving in other segments, differences between party leaders in assembly segments remained unresolved because of he is a novice at politics and his soft nature is not suitable to handle hard core politics at the ground- level. There is a growing feeling among the party loyalists that the two ministers are not paying any attention to sort out the issues in these segments and this would cost dearly in 2019 elections.
There was hardly any initiative from the party of ministers to sort out differences between former finance minister and TD in-charge for Atmakur constituency Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and former in-charge of the segment G. Kannababu. The situation is even complicated at Gudur where the party is divided into three groups. One group comprises those who migrated from YSRC along with Gudur legislator Pasam Suneel Kumar and the another two are former legislator Balli Durga Prasad and Dr B.R. Jyothsna Latha, who contested unsuccessfully in 2014 elections.
In case of Nellore city and rural segments all is not well between the TD leaders including Mayor SK Abdul Aziz, NUDA chairman Kotamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy, M. Sridhar Krishna Reddy, Adala Prabhakar Reddy, who are keen on contesting from Nellore urban or rural segments. In Sullurpeta, those who sailed with MLC Vakati Narayana Reddy have become inactive after the party suspended him because of a CBI case against him. There are differences between party cadres and TD in-charge for the segment Parasa Venkata Rathnaiah.
The stand-off between municipal chairperson D. Sarada and Venkatagiri legislator K. Ramakrishna has been costing the party dearly in Venkatagiri, according to TD old guard of the segment. Reddy community in the district is upset over suspension of Vakati Narayana Reddy and they point out that there was no action against party bigwigs including Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Sujana Chowdary and Atmakur legislator Bollineni Rama Rao among several others though there are cases against them. Party loyalists are of the opinion that all issues can be sorted out if district minister join hands.
