Political Diary

With the second phase of poll date nearing, TDP's smile is beginning to widen what with indications that the party could easily bag eight out of 14 assembly constituencies in Krishna district where it received a drubbing in the last elections. The PRP is also on a leatherhunt by giving Congress a run for its money. Both ministers in the YSR cabinet - Pinnamaneni Venkateswara Rao (Gudivada) and Mandali Budhaprasad (Avanigadda) - are far behind PRP candidates Ravi Venkateswara Rao and Simhadri Ramesh. "The ministers could be fighting for the second or third slots," an analyst said. The other minister Koneru Ranga Rao, who took voluntary retirement from politics, was left as a mute spectator even as TDP had made huge inroads in his home constituency of Tiruvur. Congress nominees - D Padma Jyothy, Parameswara Rao and D Y Das from Tiruvur, Nandigama and Pamarru respectively - are lagging behind their TDP opponents due to severe infighting among the Congress leaders. Sources said the winning chances of TDP candidates in SC constituencies are bright, while local MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was exposed for not picking up the momentum in some of the assembly seats. Senior PRP leader Buragadda Vedavyas, however, is finding the going tough at Machilipatnam where no local leader is backing him. Both Vedavyas and Congress candidate Perni Venkateswara Rao alias Nani are laying focus on Kapu voters, while TDP candidate Kollu Ravindra, a fisherman, is banking on his community people's support. Sources said Congress candidates Devineni Nehru (Vijayawada East), M V P Apparao (Nuziveedu), K P Saradhi (Penamalur), S Udayabhanu (Jaggaiahpet) are going strong where as Buddhaprasad (Avanigadda), Jogi Ramesh (Pedana), Perni Nani (Machilipatnam), Malladi Vishnu (Central) and Padma Jyothi (Tiruvur) are up against some serious challenge from both TDP and PRP nominees. However, Prajarajyam's Vangaveeti Radhakrishna in Central and Srinivas in West segment are looking confident and have fair chances of snatching the seats from their rivals. "The contest is very strong in six assembly segments where the Congress and TDP could share the honours," a political observer from Tenali said.