BJP, TDP likely to swap Kadapa MP, Jammalamadugu MLA seats

KADAPA : The BJP and TDP are likely to swap a Lok Sabha and an Assembly seat between them in the erstwhile undivided Kadapa district. Though the BJP was allotted Jammalamadugu, it is likely to contest Kadapa MP seat by swapping the Assembly seat with the TDP’s MP seat, sources said.

Both the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats have been allotted to the Devagudi family by two different parties.

The BJP has appointed C Adinarayana Reddy as its candidate for Jammalamadugu, while his brother’s son C Bhupesh Subbarami Reddy, TDP incharge of the segment, has been fielded from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency. Kadapa MP seat is a citadel of YS family, and it has been winning it since 1989.

Jammalamadugu, which comes under the purview of Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, was once the bastion of TDP. It was Adinarayana Reddy who wrested it from the TDP on Congress ticket in 2004. He won the seat thrice. He, however, lost the seat last time on BJP ticket.

Earlier, Adinarayana Reddy had announced that Bhupesh would be the political heir of their family and it was expected that he would contest from Jammalamadugu. However, Adinarayana Reddy vied for the seat, and secured it as part of the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance.

According to sources, the Devagudi family is of view that Bhupesh stands a better chance to win in Jammalamaugu, and he could not give a tough fight to the ruling YSRC in Kadapa, and conveyed the same to Adinarayana Reddy.

Hence, Adinarayana Reddy is said to be reconsidering his decision to contest from Jammalamadugu. If Adinarayana Reddy contests Kadapa MP seat, the transfer of TDP votes to the BJP in Jammalamadugu may enhance the BJP candidate’s winning prospects.

The change in political scenario in the wake of sitting MP YS Avinash Reddy’s name figuring as an accused in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case, may help the BJP to some extent. Added to this, the possible split in traditional YS family’s votes with YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s daughter YS Sharmila contesting Kadapa Lok Sabha seat on Congress ticket, may be an added advantage to the tripartite alliance, observed a political analyst