TD Faced With Internal Fights for 2024 Tickets

ANANTAPUR: The Telugu Desam has started efforts to end the internal bickering among the leaders and incharges of the party, who are in the race for the 2024 poll tickets.
 
The SC and BC candidates in the fray have been controversial figures but the TD high command has not been able to handle this matter.
 
A peculiar situation prevailed in the Madakasira Assembly segment in Satya Sai district, which was reserved for SCs. A former MLC was acting as the party incharge there. The former MLA now in the race had been sidelined in many activities in recent times. M Eeranna, the former MLA of TD, was in-charge for a few years after his defeat in the last polls.

 However, former MLC and BC leader Gundumala Thippeswamy, who had shifted from the Congress to the TD, was made the incharge there a year ago. Former MLA Eeranna, who was confident of retaining his MLA seat, was active in the field, while G Thippeswamy and his group were opposing Eeranna and mounting pressure on the high command to change the candidate.
 
Thippeswamy was reportedly highlighting a retired engineer and also a teachers’ union leader to be candidates and remained firm on opposing Eeranana.

TD sources said even as the party remained strong in many segments, differences between the leaders might upset the TD applecart in the 2024 hustings.

Similarly, there is stiff competition for MLA ticket in Penukonda assembly segment, where former minister N Kristappa, the only strong leader from the weavers’ community, was making efforts to appease the high command even as the party incharge and former MLA BK Parthasarathi was hoping to have a second term.
 
Nimmala Kristappa worked as minister during the TD rule and was an obedient follower of Naidu. In addition, former MP, Ramachandra Reddy’s daughter Sabitha was seriously working to build her own clout. She was running an Anna Canteen on her own expense in Penukonda.
 
The party’s position was confusing at Singanamala, where leaders from other parties were seriously trying for a TD ticket. A former APCC president has been making efforts to get the ticket from the party high command following dissidence among the present incharge and local leaders.

The Anantapur Lok Sabha seat gained attention because JC Pavan Reddy, who was defeat in the last elections was keeping a distance from active politics in Anantapur LS area for the past few months and was staying in Hyderabad while his uncle and Tadipathri municipal chairperson JC Prabhakar Reddy has been actively taking on the ruling party in Tadipathri and other areas.
 
Sources said the TD Anantapur MP ticket will have high demand following a possible alliance for the MLA seat with the Jana Sena in Anantapur.