Former TDP MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi’s supporters staged a protest in Srikakulam after the party high command denied ticket to her to contest from Srikakulam. She won from here against Dharmana Prasada Rao, the current Revenue Minister, in 2014 but lost to him in 2019.
The party has given the ticket this time to Gondu Raghuram, president of the Sarpanches’ Association of Srikkaulam district. Shocked by the decision, some party workers raised slogans against TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
TDP city president Madarapu Venkatesh and others consoled Ms. Lakshmi Devi and extended their support to her. Ms. Lakshmi Devi’s husband and former Minister Gunda Appala Suryanarayana has also expressed displeasure over the decision of the party high command.
The TDP has also denied ticket to Patapatnam former MLA Kalamata Venkata Ramana, much to the chagrin of his supporters, and fielded Mamidi Govinda Rao from the constituency. Mr. Ramana won in 2014 but suffered defeat at the hands of the YSRCP’s Reddy Shanthi.
However, the party issued ticket to Gouthu Sireesha from Palasa. In 2019, she contested from the same constituency, but was defeated by YSRCP’s SeedirI Appalaraju. She is again contesting against him.
Jana Sena Party leader Daneti Sridhar had also sought the ticket but the TDP preferred to field its candidate from here since it thought it is important to take on Minister for Animal Husbandry Seediri Appalaraju.
The party is yet to announce its decision over Etcherla as the BJP also wanted the seat. Former Minister Kala Venkata Rao’s supporters are unhappy with the delay in allocation of the ticket to their leader. Though Venkat Rao won in 2014, he was defeated in 2019 by YSRCP candidate Gorle Kiran Kumar.
