KAKINADA: Pithapuram MLA Pendem Dorababu is confident of a re-run in the constituency again on the YSRC ticket.
Notably, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the party’s Godavari districts coordinator Mithun Reddy had indicated to Dorababu that the party would, instead, want him to fight the Lok Sabha poll from Kakinada. They advised him to cooperate with Kakinada MP Vanga Githa who was proposed to be the incharge for Pithapuram assembly segment.
Jagan Reddy told Dorababu that the surveys have shown that the MLA was not popular in the constituency and hence his re-run in the coming polls was unlikely.
Dorababu told the CM that he did not believe in the survey’s results. He proposed a fresh survey and, based on that, he would abide by the party's decision.
According to Dorababu followers, the party has decided to hold a survey with a new team and it is likely that Dorababu would be allowed to re-run for the seat.
Meanwhile, rumours spread in the constituency that if YSRC denies ticket to Dorababu, the Jana Sena may invite him to fight the polls on its ticket from Pithapuram. Dorababu is having a good rapport with Jana Sena leaders.
Dorababu contested from Pithapuram constituency in the 1999 elections as BJP nominee, but was defeated by Independent candidate Sangisetty Veerabhadrao Rao. He, however, won the seat on behalf of the BJP in the 2004 elections despite a Congress wave. But he shifted his loyalty to the Congress, led by YS Rajasekhara Reddy. He did not get a ticket in the 2009 elections. Instead, Vanga Githa was elected as MLA on behalf of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP).
Later, Dorababu and then PRP leader Jyothula Nehru joined the YSRC led by Jagan Mohan Reddy. In the 2014 elections, Dorababu was defeated by Independent candidate SVSN Varma.
In the 2019 elections, Dorababu won from the Pithapuram assembly segment as a YSRC candidate. “I have maintained good relations with YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s family for the past 20 years and I spent crores to build the party in the constituency. I have confidence in Jagan Reddy and believe that he would give the ticket again to me. The outcome of the new survey in Pithapuram would be in my favour,’’ Dorababu told Deccan Chronicle.
The MLA said he would abide by Jagan Reddy’s decision. He thanked the YSRC leaders in the constituency for their support to him. “As many as 50 sarpanches, MPTCs, ZPTCs have come along with me to Tadepalli and they urged Mithun Reddy to give the ticket to me,’’ he said.
