KAKINADA: There is a rift between Jana Sena and Telugu Desam leaders and cadres in erstwhile Godavari districts. This has widened after the announcement that JS chief Pawan Kalyan will contest from the Pithapuram constituency.
Following this, staunch followers of Telugu Desam organised a meeting in Pithapuram on Friday. They insisted that Pithapuram constituency TD in-charge S.V.S.N. Varma must be allowed to contest from Pithapuram.
The TD cadres pointed out that when the party did not give him the ticket from Pithapuram in 2014 elections, Varma had contested as an independent and won from the constituency.
In this regard, the cadres have asked Varma to meet party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Accordingly, Varma said he would meet the party chief on Saturday and convey to the latter the decision taken by the TD cadre.
Varma said he respects Chandrababu Naidu. But he would take the final decision as per the opinion of the TD leaders and cadres, who are threatening that they will not work for non-local candidates.
In Amalapuram, former MLA Ayithabathula Ananda Rao has proceeded to Mangalagiri for meeting Chandrababu Naidu. That has happened after Jana Sena cadres staged a protest at Clock Tower Centre in Amalapuram, demanding that alliance partners allot Amalapuram seat to Jana Sena candidate Settibathula Raja Babu.
The JS cadres are insisting that Raja Babu has worked hard for strengthening Jana Sena in the constituency. All the people of the constituency are keen on ensuring that Raja Babu becomes the MLA from Amalapuram.
At Rampachodavaram, TD cadres have expressed their displeasure against the TD candidate Miryala Sirisha. On Friday, former MLA Seethamsetty Venkateswara Rao, Vanthala Rajeswari and others met the TD high command and made it clear that Sirisha cannot win from the constituency. The party should give the ticket to an experienced candidate.
At Nidadavole, TD high command has called former MLA Burugupalli Sesha Rao and instructed him to support Jana Sena candidate Kandula Durgesh.
Meanwhile, senior Telugu Desam leader Yanamala Krishnudu has condemned reports that he will be joining the YSRC. He maintained that he will never leave Telugu Desam, as he has been with the party right from its inception.
