As the elections for the Andhra Pradesh assembly and the general elections for Lok Sabha approach rapidly, the YSR Congress party and the Telugu Desam Party-Jana Sena Party alliance are actively engaged in selecting suitable candidates for various constituencies.
In the Guntur parliamentary constituency, an interesting electoral battle is anticipated. Reportedly, the sitting TDP Lok Sabha member from Guntur, Galla Jayadev, has expressed disinterest in contesting the elections this time to focus full-time on his industrial activities.
If his services are still desired within the TDP, Jayadev might consider a Rajya Sabha seat at a later stage.
Consequently, the TDP needs to identify a financially strong candidate with a favorable caste background for the Guntur Lok Sabha seat.
Sources suggest that former Congress MP from Vijayawada, Lagadapati Rajagopal, who has been inactive in politics for the last 10 years, is interested in returning to electoral politics. Reportedly, he is lobbying with the TDP to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
On Friday evening, Lagadapati's close associates had a meeting in Vijayawada, deciding that he should contest on the TDP ticket with their full support.
While Lagadapati initially desires to contest from Vijayawada, the TDP faces a tough competition for the seat between sitting MP Kesineni Nani and his brother Kesineni Chinni.
In this scenario, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu might suggest that Lagadapati contest from Guntur, where the party is seeking a strong candidate.
Alternatively, Naidu may offer the Eluru Lok Sabha seat. However, Lagadapati might opt for the Guntur seat if there is no chance for Vijayawada.
On the other hand, the YSR Congress party, led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has reportedly finalized the candidacy of popular cricketer Ambati Tirupati Rayudu for the Guntur parliamentary constituency.
Rayudu, hailing from the Kapu community, has strong financial backing from the India Cements group, headed by N. Srinivasan, who is also a business partner of Jagan.
Rayudu's association with the Chennai Super Kings team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is seen as an advantage in the elections, given that the team is owned by Srinivasan.