More Craze For MLA Tickets In YCP

The YCP won the 2019 elections with a heavy majority. As many as 151 party MLAs were voted to power and 22 won as MPs of Lok Sabha. With one of the MPs, Kanumuri Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, staying away from the party activities, the number had come down to 21.

The general elections are fast approaching again. There is talk in the YCP circles that there is a chance of early polls and as usual, there is intense fighting for the tickets. While the sitting MLAs want to retain the tickets, other aspirants are also vying for the seats and there is speculation that many of the leaders would switch loyalties.

There is buzz that some MPs do not want to continue as MPs but want to contest only as MLAs. The names of a few of such leaders are already out. There is talk that Kakinanda MP Vanga Geeta, Araku MP Madhavi, Rajamahendravaram MP Bharat Ram, Amalapuram MP Chinta Anuradha are vying for MLA seats for quite some time.

Vanga Geeta is readying to contest from Pithapuram and has been focusing on development works there. Madhavi is likely to contest from Paderu while Bharat Ram is saying that he would contest from Rajamahendravaram Assembly constituency. Chinta Anuradha is eyeing the Razole constituency.

Tamil politics

In 1960, there was a shift in the politics in Tamil Nadu. Congress was defeated and DMK came to power that year. In early 1970s, finding an MP candidate used to be very tough in DMK as none of them used to show interest in going to Delhi. They used to prefer being an MLA and suggest that some other person be chosen to send to the Parliament. Even leaders who were once elected as MPs used to tell the DMK high command that they were not able to withstand the pressure in Delhi. They complained of the language barrier and also about nativity issues. The difference in politics at the state-level and national-level also used to put the MPs on tenterhooks. It was only after two decades that the Tamil leaders showed interest in going to Delhi.

Even now, there is talk that MPs do not have direct contact with people. As the Parliamentary constituency is much bigger in geographical area, the elected representative does not have a chance to know and mingle with every section of the society. In comparison, the Assembly constituencies are much smaller in size and an MLA is a familiar face to the public in the place due to which many leaders would prefer to contest as an MLA. Moreover, if the MLA belongs to the ruling party, there is every chance for the legislator to be offered a ministerial berth.

Probably, YCP MPs have been weighing these options and deliberately showing interest in contesting only as legislators.