TDP may field Reddy candidate in Chandragiri

Tirupati: With the TDP not yet declaring the name of Pulivarthi Nani as the candidate for Chandragiri Assembly constituency, speculation is ripe that the party may zero in on a candidate belonging to the Reddy community.

In the first list TDP released, candidates for all Assembly segments under Chittoor parliament Lok Sabha were announced except for Chandragiri and Puthalapattu. Among the candidates announced, three belong to Kamma caste, party chief N Chandrababu Naidu party (Kuppam), Gurajala Jagan Mohan Naidu (Chittoor) and Gali Bhanu Prakash (Nagari). Two constituencies Puthalapattu and GD Nellore are reserved for SCs.

It is being said that the party may ask former minister N Amarnath Reddy to contest from Palamaner.

Chandrababu Naidu's native village Naravaripalle is in this constituency. In 1978, Chandrababu contested as a Congress candidate and became an MLA for the first time. He was defeated by TDP candidate Venkatarama Naidu in 1983.

In 1985, N R Jayadev Naidu won the electons. In 1994, Nara Ramamurthy Naidu won as TDP candidate. Galla Aruna Kumari won in 1989, 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections as a Congress candidate. In 2014, she contested on a TDP ticket and lost to Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy by a margin of 4,518 votes. In 2019, Pulivarthi Nani was defeated by Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy with a huge margin of 41,755 votes.

Against the backdrop, the speculations are there that TDP will change Pulivarthi Nani who was defeated in 2019 elections.

The YSRCP is going to field Chevireddy Mohit Reddy, sone of sitting MLA Bhaskar Reddy as its candidate. Bhaskar Reddy has been made in-charge of Ongole Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, industrialist, realtor and chairman of Dollars group C Divakar Reddy is also lobbying for TDP ticket from Chandragiri constituency. Another aspirant for the same seat is N B Harshavardhan Reddy.

Harshavardhan first expected Nagari Assembly seat but TDP announced the name of Gali Bhanu Prakash as its candidate. So Harshavardhan is now trying for the Chandragiri seat.