Date:28/03/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/03/28/stories/2004032804540400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP former MLA quits, to contest as Independent

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, MARCH 27. <145,H>The TDP suffered a major blow in the Chief Minister's home district of Chittoor when its Tamballapalle ex-MLA, Lakshmidevamma, quit the party peeved over the allotment of the seat to the BJP.

Her resignation did not come as any surprise because without mincing words she was warning from day one that she would walk out of the party along with her supporters if the TDP conceded the seat to the BJP to accommodate its State party leader, Challapalli Narasimha Reddy, who has a sizeable following in the arid and tail-end segment of the district.

The partnership between the TDP-BJP combine would face a rough weather in the constituency in the election as she would be entering the ring as an independent candidate and declared as much at Tampallepalle at the meeting she held there to bid adieu to the TDP along with 28 sarpanches and 4 MPTCs besides several party activists.

Regarding the release of the lists by the TDP and the Congress, as far as the former is concerned it is in Mr. Chandrababu Naidu's court. Though the TDP's third list is expected tonight, sources said that it may not contain any names from Chittoor district.

With regard to the Congress, the agonising and nagging suspense is expected to prolong till Monday as the high command is not likely to take up its case till then.

As far as the TDP candidate for Tirupati Assembly seat is concerned, the choice now seems to be oscillating between the former MLA, Chadalavada, and his brother-in-law, N.V.Prasad, Telugu film producer and TUDA's chief. As for the Chittoor Congress ticket, which is embroiled in a controversy because of the alleged involvement of the former MLA, C.K. Babu, in a murder case, the high command might plump for his wife, Lavanya, while he insists that he should get the ticket because, he argues, he has been implicated by his rivals.