TD-JS too Bats for BC Vote Bank in AP Polls

Vijayawada: As the ruling YSRC aims to field several BCs in the coming polls, the Telugu Desam-Jana Sena alliance is keen on doing the same to attract BC votes.

Telugu Desam president Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and TD national general-secretary N. Lokesh were holding marathon sessions in the last three days at the residence of Naidu in Hyderabad to finalise the list of candidates.

The TD-JS alliance has already announced allotment of two Assembly seats each - Mandapeta and Araku - for TD and Razole and Rajanagaram for JS. Talks continued for selection of the contestants for the remaining 171 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats.

The basic norm in selection of the contestants is a nominee’s chances of win. The TD and JS leaders are getting ground-level survey reports from various sources in this respect.

While the TD-JS intends to give more priority for BCs, their leaders plan to field locally popular and acceptable leaders for both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Also, in view of the presence of Boyas and Valmikis in large numbers in erstwhile Anantapur district, the TD-JS alliance would also field candidates from such social groups.

TD-JS sources say that the names of some contestants from the BC communities have been confirmed. Accordingly, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu would contest from Narsipatnam, K. Atchannaidu from Tekkali, Kala Venkatarao from Etcherla, Gouthu Sirisha from Palasa, Pithani Satyanarayana from Achanta etc.

In addition to this, the TD-JS leaders are not intending to disturb the sitting and senior leaders from the existing seats in some cases, based on survey reports that they have bright chances of retaining the seats.

The TD-JS alliance would also accommodate other predominant social groups like Kamma, Kapu as also SC, ST and minorities in selection of contestants.

The aspirants from TD-JS are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the list of candidates so that they can start the campaign in earnest. The YSRC is already in campaign mode as it has released five lists of nominees. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy addressed public meetings to win the support of the voters.