Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu seems to have lost his hope on Gannavaram MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, as all his attempts to prevail upon him to stay back in the party have failed.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Nani, who along with former MP Konakalla Narayana, made all out efforts to convince Vamsi to continue in the TDP, but the latter is adamant.
“Now, the ball is in his court. We have made our efforts to convince him,” Nani said after meeting Vamsi.
In all probability, Vamsi will meet YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in a couple of days and join the party.
He has already fulfilled the precondition to join the YSRC – quitting his assembly membership.
He will submit a formal letter to Speaker Tammineni Sitaram in a specific format and it will be accepted immediately.
Naturally, Vamsi’s resignation will pave the way for by-election to Gannavaram seat.
While the YSRC will definitely field again its constituency in-charge Yarlagadda Venkat Rao who lost to Vamsi by a narrow margin in the recent elections, the by-election will bring a new headache for TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.
He has to select a fresh candidate who has to be as strong as Vamsi and from the same community with strong financial support.
According to party sources, there are at least three candidates who are in the race for the TDP ticket for Gannavaram seat.
The first choice for the seat is Krishna district zilla parishad chairperson Gadde Anuradha, who is said to be a strong candidate with financial background. Being a woman candidate is an advantage for her.
At the same time, former irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheshwar Rao, who lost from Mylavaram constituency recently, is also in the race. Since Gannavaram is just adjacent to Mylavaram, Devineni thinks he has fair chances of winning.
But there is another Devineni, who is also strongly lobbying for the ticket. He is Devineni Avinash, Telugu Yuvatha state president.
He also lost the recent assembly elections from Gudivada, which is also a neighbouring constituency of Gannavaram. He is also trying to find his luck by contesting the by-polls.
It will be definitely a big headache for Naidu since all of them are strong candidates. But if Vamsi decides to campaign for Yarlagadda in Gannavaram, it will be tough time for the TDP to retain the seat!
