Tirupati: TDP focusses on leadership changes to face next polls

Tirupati: TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu has started tinkering one constituency after another in his home turf to set the stage for next elections. In a significant development, the party has changed the Punganur segment in-charge N Aneesha Reddy after hectic parleys and appointed Challa Ramachandra Reddy alias Babu in her place. In GD Nellore constituency, a coordinator was appointed in addition to the existing in-charge.

Chittoor district has become a bitter pill for TDP high command to digest. During the last elections, out of 14 constituencies, TDP could secure only one seat in which party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu was elected to the Assembly. Though the party has a strong vote bank it has been facing leadership issues in many constituencies. Party high command also has not focussed on internal issues till now due to Covid situation apart from various other reasons.

After the recent local body polls, the party seems to have felt this as the right time to address the problems in each constituency in order to give a fight in the 2024 elections. Accordingly, Naidu was said to have focussed his attention first on high-voltage Punganur constituency which was the stronghold of TDP before delimitation of constituencies.

After the delimitation, it has become the stronghold of present Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy. He won the seat as Congress candidate in 2009 and on YSRCP ticket in 2014 and 2019. TDP's Aneesha Reddy has lost the election in 2019. Party leaders were of the view that the high command was toying with the idea of changing the leadership in Punganur in recent times.

Finally, party state president K Atchannaidu has announced the name of Challa Babu as in-charge of Punganur believing that he can face the Minister efficiently in the run-up for next elections. Now, the reaction of party cadre to the change of leadership has to be seen. Already, Aneesha's followers have asked the party high command to reconsider its decision of changing the leadership from her.

In GD Nellore constituency also, the party has appointed Bhimineni Chittibabu Naidu as coordinator where A Harikrishna is already there as in-charge. There was a view within the party that Harkrishna was not active in any programmes due to which a leadership vacuum existed. However, the party has to look for an alternative candidate in the next elections to change Harikrishna, as the constituency is reserved for SC.

The party has leadership problems in some other constituencies like Thamballapalle, Satyavedu and Puthalapattu. Once Naidu reviews the position in each constituency, a clarity may emerge on the leadership to run the party in 2024 elections.