Congress, BJP Leaders in AP Aiming to Get TD or YSRC Tickets in 2024 Polls

Anantapur: Leaders of the Congress and BJP in various assembly segments are looking towards the TD and YSRC to get tickets for them and contest the 2024 polls.

The Congress is in a hopeless state in AP. It was unable to strengthen itself following the adverse state bifurcation impact. Even after the high command promised special category status for AP if the party is voted to power at the Centre, Congress leaders have been looking towards the YSRC or TD for tickets in the 2024 assembly polls. These are mostly former ministers, MLAs or constituency in-charges.

Many of them have support from the high commands of their parties, be it the BJP or Congress, but are unable to get support from local cadres to enter the poll fray.

Former APCC chief Sailajanath is reportedly making efforts to get the TD ticket in Singanamala assembly segment, from where he had been elected once. He had worked as a minister during Congress term.

Sailajanath aims to join the TD and contest as its candidate from Singanamala. He sees no chance from the YSRC as MLA Jonnalagadda Padmavati has strong support from the YSRC high command, in particular from the chief minister.

B Shivani is currently the in-charge for TD in Singanamala and she faced defeat in the last general polls but is seeking party ticket for the coming polls.

TD cadres in several mandals were opposing the plans of Congress leader Sailajanath to join TD. They say TD leaders and cadres faced harassment from him when he was a minister.

Sources said though the former APCC chief has access to the TD high command, he was struggling to win the backing of local leaders.

Similarly, Aswatha Narayana, who contested as Congress candidate from Madakasira assembly segment in the last polls, faced defeat. He recently joined the YSRC in the hope he would get a ticket with support from dissident TD leaders.

Thippeswamy has been MLA and served as TTD board member from Madakasira. He has direct access with the high command and expected a ticket in the coming polls. A group of dissident leaders are encouraging Aswatha Narayana.

BJP also has less roots in AP. This apart, a peculiar situation prevails in Kadapa district where BJP leaders who were previously in the TD but had shifted their loyalties soon after the YSRC won power in the state, are now looking towards TD for poll tickets. A former minister and a former Rajya Sabha member were still confused over the alliance between the TD and BJP and are hoping to get the tickets.

As the TD couldn’t strengthen the party in Kadapa, the home turf of chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the party will have to depend on the BJP leaders to boost TD chances in several segments.