CPI to contest for Tirupati Assembly seat

Tirupati: It appears almost certain that the Congress party will not be contesting in the Tirupati Assembly constituency, as the seat has been allotted to the CPI as part of the seat-sharing agreement within the INDIA bloc. Despite numerous aspirants vying for the Congress ticket, it has ultimately been decided to cede Tirupati to the CPI and Nellore to the CPM, as stated by a senior CPM leader.

According to CPI sources, the party has finalised its district secretary P Murali’s name as candidate for Tirupati. “There is clarity in our seat sharing arrangement. CPI leader Murali will be in the fray as part of the INDIA bloc. It is crucial to safeguard the voter base of left parties and prevent it from drifting to other parties. All the parties in the alliance have consented to allocate Tirupati seat to our party,” said an active CPI leader.

It may be recalled here that speaking to the media a couple of days back, Republican Party leader Anjaiah claimed that he will be the INDIA bloc candidate for Tirupati. However, sources

in the Left parties have confirmed that CPI will be in fray from Tirupati and the official announcement is expected anytime.

Murali hails from IK Reddypalli village in Irala mandal of Puthalapattu constituency and comes from an agricultural background. His family relocated to Tirupati in 1987 in pursuit of livelihood opportunities.

After stints in the construction sector and as an auto-rickshaw driver, he became actively involved in the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).

Over time, he ascended through various union positions before assuming the role of district secretary for the CPI following the district's reorganisation.

The question now is whether the Congress will vie for the Tirupati Lok Sabha reserved seat or concede it also to its allies. Despite former MP Chinta Mohan emerging as a strong contender for the ticket, uncertainty looms over his candidature this time around. Notably, he failed to secure party nominations for either his son or daughter in the Satyavedu constituency, as the party opted for an alternative candidate.

It's pertinent to mention that both the ruling YSRCP and NDA have already declared their candidates for the Tirupati Assembly and Lok Sabha seats. The YSRCP has nominated Bhumana Abhinay Reddy for the Assembly seat, while incumbent MP Dr M Gurumoorthy will seek re-election for the Tirupati Lok Sabha seat.

Meanwhile, the TDP has allotted the Assembly seat to Jana Sena Party, which has named sitting Chittoor YSRCP MLA Arani Srinivasulu as its candidate for Tirupati. Additionally, former MP and incumbent Gudur YSRCP MLA V Varaprasad has joined the BJP and secured the Tirupati Lok Sabha ticket which leaves the announcement of Congress candidate pending here.