TDP, BJP differ over one seat

According to sources, the BJP has been offered the Lok Sabha constituencies of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Rajahmundry and Nellore.

But the hitch was in respect of Kakinada Lok Sabha seat, represented by sitting BJP MP and film star Krishnam Raju. The BJP was unwilling to concede this seat to Telugu Desam which is keen on fielding on Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham.

As an alternative, the ruling party offered the Visakhapatnam seat to Krishnam Raju but the film star was reportedly against shifting his constituency.

As part of the alliance announced yesterday, the TDP offered to give eight Lok Sabha and 25 Assembly seats to the BJP.

In respect of the Assembly seats too, the BJP has reportedly sought segments which are represented by ministers and sitting TDP MLAs such as Mahboobnagar P Chandrasekhar and Armoor Annapurnamma. The TDP was understandably not prepared to replace its sitting members for the sake of the BJP and this delayed the finalisation of seats.

Immediately on their return from Delhi, BJP state unit president Vidyasagar Rao, former state president V Rama Rao and general secretary P Venugopal Reddy went into discussions with the TDP leaders at an undisclosed place in the city.

Minister T Devender Goud, TDP parliamentary leader K Yerran Naidu and party general secretary C Ramachandraiaah participated in the talks on behalf of the Telugu Desam. Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who is recovering from a heart surgery, was present during the discussions.

TDP leaders took short breaks on a couple of occasions and went to the residence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to obtain his opinion on the demands put forth by the BJP. But, the deadlock was not resolved till 2 in the morning.

The delay in finalisation of the seats to be contested by the BJP has forced the TDP to postpone the announcement of its candidates for Lok Sabha seats and the Assembly constituencies, which are going to polls in the first phase.

As the seat adjustment is expected to be thrashed out by the early hours of Friday, the TDP will release its list of nominees tomorrow morning before Chandrababu Naidu goes to Tirupati to launch the party8217;s electoral campaign.

In fact, Naidu has finalised the candidates for a majority of the LS seats almost all the 91 Assembly segments which are going to polls in the first phase. But, the official announcement was withheld as some of the seats would go to the BJP under the seat sharing.