TD chooses news candidate for Puthalapattu constituency

TIRUPATI: In a surprising development, the Telugu Desam (TD) has decided to field a new candidate for the Puthalapattu Assembly constituency in Chittoor District, even though the Assembly elections are months away.

TD national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has personally chosen Dr Murali Mohan, a senior journalist from Tirupati, represents the party in the constituency. Naidu entrusted him with the role of the party in charge of the Puthalapattu constituency on Saturday. The TD chief also informed the party leaders in the district to rally behind the new nominee.

Puthalapattu, a reserved constituency, was formed in 2006 when it was separated from the Vepanjeri Assembly constituency. It made its electoral debut in 2009 with the TD fielding former MLA L. Lalitha Kumari as its candidate. However, Kumari narrowly lost to Congress candidate Dr Ravi by a margin of only 951 votes. In the subsequent elections, she faced defeats in 2014 and 2019 against YSRC candidates M. Sunil Kumar and M.S. Babu, respectively, further extending her streak of losses.

Considering the series of electoral setbacks, the TD leadership opted to change their approach and seek a fresh face to represent the party this time. Dr Murali Mohan emerged as the preferred choice due to his strong local connections.

Dr Murali Mohan, who served as the president of the AP Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) in the past, met Naidu in Amaravati recently. Following the meeting, Naidu officially confirmed Dr Murali Mohan's selection as the party's representative.

With this unexpected move, TD aims to reinvigorate its prospects in the Puthalapattu Assembly constituency by introducing a fresh and influential candidate who could potentially turn the tables in the party’s favour. As the election season draws closer, the region is sure to witness an intriguing political contest between the newly appointed TD candidate and their counterparts from the YSRC. Sources indicate that YSRC is also expected to field a new face here.