CPI-Jana Sena ties survive a scare

Vijayawada: The electoral alliance between the CPI and the Jana Sena (JS) was on the brink of breaking down on Sunday, with the JS fielding candidates in seats allotted to the CPI. But talks in the night help avert a split and CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna said the issue was resolved.

JS chief K. Pawan Kalyan had announced previously that the Nuz-vid Assembly seat and Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat would be kept for the CPI. But he subsequently changed his mind and announced party candidates for both seats.

CPI candidate for Vijayawada Ch Ajay Kumar, a sitting MP, had begun his campaign. CPI leaders were disappointed and shocked by this turn of events and objected to the “opportunist politics” of the JS.

The JS also angered its own party man D.V. Dasu, who was to be its candidate for the Pamarru Assembly seat, by allotting it to the BSP. Mr Dasu has resigned from the party.

During a public meeting at Vijayawada on Fri-day, Mr Kalyan had anno-unced Muttamsetty Pras-ad Babu as the JS candidate for the Vijayawada parliamentary seat, repl-acing Mr Ajay Kumar.

Earlier, the JS had withdrawn the Nuzivid seat from the CPI and selected Basava Bhaskar Rao as the JS candidate. Mr Rao had resigned from the YSR Congress to join the JS.  When taking back the Nuzvid seat, the JS had allotted the Vijayawada parliamentary seat to the CPI, but took it back as well.

YSRC leaders allege that because the YSRC is strong in Nuzvid, the Telugu Desam planned to split their vote and forced Bhaskar Rao to join the JS and fielded him in Nuzvid.

Mr Ajay Kumar said Mr Kalyan had insulted the CPI by cancelling the Vijayawada seat and it was proof of his corrupt politics.

He alleged that `59 lakh was behind the change of the Nuzvid seat from the CPI to the former YSRC leader. He said that he had made all arrangements for his campaign and cancelling the ticket is a severe injustice to him. He questioned how Mr Kalyan without consulting the CPI announced the cancellation of the Vijayawada seat. He will reveal the truth behind the cancellation of seats allotted to the CPI, he said.

According to reports, CPI leaders took the issue to the notice of Mr Kalyan. In another development, former MLA D.V. Dasu said that he joined the JS because he was assured of getting the Pamarru ticket on March 18. He alleged that two days ago, Mr Kalyan refused to give him the ticket because of a secret pact with TD aspirant Uppuleti Kalpana.

He alleged that the JS is helping and working for the win of TD candidates and was hence cancelling tickets to JS candidates. He said he had left the Jana Sena because he was unable to bear its “immoral politics”.