Till now, Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been invincible in his assembly constituency Kuppam in Chittoor district.
He has been representing this constituency for the last seven consecutive terms since 1989. Though there have been fluctuations in his majority, Naidu has been winning the Kuppam seat convincingly.
Even in 2019 elections when there was a wave of YSR Congress party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy all over the state, Naidu won from Kuppam defeating retired IAS officer K Chandramouli, though with a reduced margin.
However, the situation appears to be not conducive to Naidu anymore.
With Jagan focussing on nurturing this constituency by pumping in money for its development and the YSRC sweeping all the local body elections with thumping majority, the TDP supremo is said to be worried about his winning prospects in Kuppam in the next elections.
After the recent visit of Jagan to Kuppam and the success of his public meeting, the YSRC leaders and cadre are euphoric, while the TDP cadre has become demoralised.
What is more, late Chandramouli’s son and YSRC legislative council member K R J Bharat is going aggressively with his programmes in the constituency, ably supported by senior minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.
This has left Naidu in second thoughts.
According to sources, the TDP chief is now worried that if he fails to retain his seat in Kuppam, he will not only lose his grip over the party but his political life also will come to an end.
Since he has vowed to return to the state assembly only as the chief minister, a loss in Kuppam will turn out to be the last nail in his political coffin.
Even if the TDP comes to power, Naidu cannot become the chief minister, after having lost his assembly seat.
That is why, there are reports that Naidu is seriously contemplating contesting from a second assembly constituency for contesting the elections.
Though it is a moral defeat for the TDP chief, party sources say it would be better than facing the defeat altogether.
Secondly, there were precedents in the past when the party presidents contesting from more than one constituency – NTR had done that twice. Megastar Chiranjeevi also contested from two seats and so did Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan.
Even in Telangana, KCR contested from one Lok Sabha and another from an assembly constituency.
“So, there is nothing wrong in contesting from two seats. The YSRC people may make it a big issue, but once the elections are over, it hardly matters,” the party sources said.
Apparently, Naidu is looking for a safer constituency in Rayalaseema itself and in all probability, he might choose one from Anantapur, where the TDP is relatively stronger.
“If he wins Kuppam again, he will retain that. Otherwise, he can still be an MLA from other constituency,” sources added.