ANANTAPUR: BJP faces dissidence in Dharmavaram, where TD cadres led by Paritala Sriram refused to support BJP candidate Suryanarayana, who was formerly with the TD but “misused the brand name of TD for his personal gains.”
G. Suryanarayana was a former MLA, who jumped to the BJP from TD after he faced defeat in the last elections. He managed to get an assembly ticket from the BJP this time, in alliance with the TD and JS.
Jana Sena leader Chilakam Madhusudhan Reddy had hoped to get the JS ticket for Dharmavaram. Similarly, slain warlord Paritala Ravindra’s son Paritala Sriram, who was incharge of TD and started a campaign for the ticket. They were in a shock after the TD gave the Dharmavaram seat for the BJP contest this time as part of the three-party alliance.
Sources said Suryanarayana, who has been with the BJP after resigning from the TD five years ago, was making serious efforts to stand for the polls now by using photos of TD chief Chandrababu Naidu during his every programme. He did so by ignoring the pictures of top BJP leaders like PM Modi, they noted.
The TD cadres attacked the supporters of Suryanarayana while he was transporting them to Chandrababu Naidu’s meeting at Penukonda a few days ago.
However, Sriram started a campaign in the segment a few days ago, seeking support from the people of Dharmavaram. As his mother Paritala Sunitha was named as the TD candidate from Rapthadu assembly segment, the party offered the Dharmavaram seat to the BJP. Hence, Sriram stood no chance to get the ticket.
Suryanarayana, who had close access to the TD high command, walked away with the BJP ticket.
On Friday, TD cadres from Dharmavaram staged a protest at the residence of party district unit president BK Parthasarathi, saying that the high command should change the decision to give the seat to BJP and instead field Sriram.
The cadres alleged that Suryanarayana had enjoyed power as MLA during the TD term and quit the party after TD lost power. Now he is again seeking support of TD after getting the BJP ticket. “We will not support Suryanarayana,” they asserted.
