AP Polls: 6 rebels pose a challenge for TDP-JSP-BJP alliance

Vijayawada: The TDP-JSP-BJP alliance in AP which was anticipating a landslide victory in the upcoming Assembly and Parliament elections in Andhra Pradesh is now facing a major challenge from rebel candidates.

Six rebels have entered the election race and are posing a threat to the nominees of the Telugu Desam Party-Jana Sena Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition.

Four rebels are from the TDP and one each from the BJP and Jana Sena. Even though the party leadership is trying to convince them to withdraw their nominations, all the six rebel candidates are firm to be in the poll fray.

Meesala Geetha in Vizianagaram

Among them, Meesala Geetha filed her nomination as a rebel candidate against TDP’s Aditi Gajapatiraju in Vizianagaram.

In 2009, Geetha made her electoral debut from the Vizianagaram constituency on a Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) ticket. However, she was unsuccessful in winning the election; TDP’s Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju emerged victorious, defeating Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy of the Congress party.

Later, Geetha joined the Congress party and worked as the municipal chairperson. However, On February 17, 2014, she left the Congress party and her position as the chairman in favour of joining the TDP. With a margin of 15,404 votes, she defeated Congress leader Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy in the 2014 Assembly elections by contesting on behalf of the TDP. In 2019, she was dropped by the TDP and did not contest the Assembly elections.

In the 2024 elections, the TDP leadership denied a ticket to Geetha and Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s daughter Aditi Gajapathi Raju was given a chance to contest.

V Venkata Sivarama Raju in Undi

Another TDP leader V Venkata Sivarama Raju from Undi also filed his nomination as a rebel candidate after he was disappointed with the TDP leadership’s decision to field Narasapuram MP K Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju in the 2024 Assembly elections.

Sivarama Raju was elected as an MLA for the first time from the Undi constituency in the 2009 elections. In the 2014 elections, he once again contested as an MLA from Undi and won with a vote share of 58.21 per cent and a majority of 36,231 votes, one of the highest in the 2014 elections.

In the 2019 General Elections, he contested from the Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency and was defeated by Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju with a margin of three per cent votes.

M Surya Chandra Rao in Polavaram

In Polavaram, Modiyam Surya Chandra Rao filed his nomination as a TDP rebel after Ch Balaraju of JSP was given a seat as part of the alliance strategy. Surya Chandra Rao is the grandson of former MLA Modiyam Lakshman Rao. His family has been loyal to the TDP for many decades.

M Venkateswara Rao in Nuzvid

Similar is the case with Nuzvid. Upset with the party leadership, former minister Muddaraboina Venkateswara Rao quit the TDP and filed his nomination as a rebel candidate. The TDP leadership is fielding former minister Kolusu Parthsarthy, a turncoat from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) as its MLA candidate.

Rao contested as an MLA from the TDP twice in the 2014 and 2019 elections. YSRCP candidate Meka Venkata Pratap Appa Rao defeated him both times.

K Srinivas Rao in Gannavaram

In Gannavaram, K Srinivas Rao filed his nomination as the BJP’s rebel candidate after the seat was given to Yarlagadda Venkata Rao of the TDP as part of their alliance.

P Sudhakar in Kavali

In Kavali, Pasupuleti Sudhakar filed his nomination as a rebel candidate from Jana Sena. The Jana Sena Party sacrificed its seat in Kavali as part of its alliance with the TDP and BJP. In 2019, Sudhakar contested as an MLA from Kavali on behalf of the JSP and was defeated by YSRCP candidate Ramireddy Prathap Kumar Reddy.