TDP yet to announce candidates for Sarvepalle, Kovur

Nellore: With a strong determination to register a victory in Sarvepalle Assembly constituency, the TDP leaders seems to be in a state of confusion over selecting a suitable candidate for the seat for the ensuing polls.

TDP politburo member and former minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy is aspiring for Sarvepalle seat.

It is learnt that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu held discussions with Somireddy at party State office in Mangalagiri before leaving for New Delhi. Naidu reportedly told Somireddy that he would decide the Sarvepalle constituency issue on his return from the national capital. It is learnt that the TDP leadership has asked senior leader Anam Ramanarayana Reddy to contest from Atmakuru. Similarly, some local leaders have been asked to contest from their native constituencies. However, Naidu is yet to take a decision with regard to Sarvepalle and Kovur constituencies. Polamreddy Bhaskar Reddy is aspiring for Kovur seat.

It may be recalled that the YSRCP has finalised the candidature of Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy for Sarvepalle constituency.

Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy was elected twice from Sarvepalle on behalf of the TDP. He beat Congress candidate Chitturu Venkata Sesha Reddy in 1994 and 1999. He secured a majority of 33,775 votes in 1994 and 16,092 votes in 1999.

In 2004 he was defeated in the hands of congress candidate Adala Prabhakara Reddy by a margin of 7,625 votes and by a margin of 10,284 votes in 2009 elections.

Subsequently, he was defeated by YSRCP nominee Kakani Govardhan Reddy in 2014 by a margin of 5,446 votes. Somireddly also lost to Kakani in 2019 by a margin of 13,793 votes.

A senior TDP leader on the condition of anonymity said that TDP national secretary Nara Lokesh is keen on fielding a suitable candidate for Sarvepalle with an objective to defeat Kakani Govardhan Reddy.