New MLC Nagababu’s Comments After Win Widens TD-JS Rift in Pithapuram

Kakinada: Followers of Telugu Desam leader and former MLA from Pithapuram S.V.S.N. Varma have not taken kindly to comments made by newly elected MLC K. Nagababu, brother of Jana Sena president and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

At the Jana Sena Foundation Day meeting at Chitrada village on March 14, Nagababu went on to underline that the Deputy CM won from Pithapuram for two reasons – Pawan Kalyan’s image and overwhelming support from voters of Pithapuram constituency.

Indirectly hinting at former TD MLA Varma, Nagababu went on to say, “If anybody claims that Pawan Kalyan won as MLA due to their efforts, it is their poor Karma (Valla Karma).”

Though the new MLC did not name Varma, there is an impression sought to be created within the Jana Sena Party that the former TD MLA had been cut to size by Nagababu.

Incidentally, Varma has not reacted. There is speculation that the Telugu Desam leadership has asked the former MLA not to react to Nagababu’s statement.

However, followers of Varma are aghast. They maintain that after the Pithapuram seat had been allotted to Jana Sena prior to the 2024 polls, the TD leadership, in particular Chandrababu Naidu, had asked Varma, who had to vacate the seat, to ensure that Pawan Kalyan won from the constituency. In return, the TDP chief promised Varma an MLC post as the first choice. However, the former MLA has not been nominated as MLC by the ruling TDP in the recent elections.

Varma’s supporters are now trying to gain sympathy of people, projecting the former MLA as having been wronged. But Jana Sena activists are condemning these moves.

JS leaders maintain that in the 2024 elections, Pawan Kalyan’s image had gone so high that Varma realised that he would lose miserably if he contested as an independent candidate against Pawan Kalyan. “That is why he supported the JSP chief,” the JS leaders maintain.

They point out that Pithapuram Area Development Authority has now started functioning. The constituency’s people are all in favour of Pawan Kalyan.

A TD leader said in political one-upmanship, Jana Sena, using the Deputy Chief Minister’s clout, is denying benefits of government programmes and schemes to the Telugu Desam cadres in Pithapuram constituency.

“When a truce had been organised between Jana Sena and TD, it had been decided that 60:40 ratio will be applied in implementation of programmes and benefits for workers of the two parties. This is not being implemented,” the TD leader underlined.