BJP leaders in Rayalaseema, who were developing discontent with BJP leadership for denying them any important position within the party or in the government, are not making hectic lobbying to grab lone MLC seat likely to be offered by TDP early next year.
During 2014 polls seat sharing process, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu promised to offer three MLC seats after the polls, as they forced to spare very few MLA seats (11) to BJP. However, as immediately after polls BJP persuaded him to allocate lone Rajya Sabha seat, for which by-polls were conducted to its union minister of state Nirmala Sitaraman, last year Naidu spared only one MLC seat to BJP.
The seat was given to party veteran from Rajahmundry Somu Veerraju. This has created lot of discontent among party leaders from Rayalaseema. As already four MLAs and two MPs are from Visakhapatnam and two Godavari districts are in the party, they questioned the propriety of giving another MLC seat to the same area.
When Somu Veeraarju name was actively considered to appoint as State President that was opposed by them on the same theory and demanded someone from their region should be made as state president. Since 1980 only once, Chilakam Ramachandra Reddy as made as state president from this region.
In this background, Rayalaeema leaders are now sure that one of them can become MLC from MLAs quota. For this seat, already several leaders are hectic lobbying with party leadership.
Chilakam Ramachandra Reddy and former Women’s Commission Member K Santha Reddy, who were making futile attempts for nominating as Governor, nalso may swing into this race. Besides them, state vice president Challa Narasimha Reddy, who is known as a close associate of union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, seems to be ahead of others in the race.
Former MLA from Anantapur district M S Partha Sarathi and state general secretary Suresh Reddy from Nellore district are also seems to be making their own attempts. Besides them few leaders from Kadapa and Kurnool district are also testing their lucks.