By announcing Tangella Uday Srinivas as Jana Sena’s candidate for Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency, party chief Pawan Kalyan expressed his strong desire to contest in the assembly elections from Pithapuram constituency. Srinivas, who became familiar by humble beginning of the’Team Time’ outlet in Rajahmundry and now spreading to a number of 3,000 outlets all over the country, was originally picked up to contest in the assembly elections from Pithapuram.
He was made as party’s incharge for Pithapuram. However, as Pawan Kalyan has now decided to contest from Pithapuram, he was shifted to Kakinada Lok Sabha. In this regard, Pawan said that many are suggesting him to contest for the Lok Sabha, but he is keen to contest for the Assembly.
However, indicating the final decision will be taken by the BJP high-command, he said that he will consider contesting in the Lok Sabha polls if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah personally suggest.
In the case of his contest in the Lok Sabha polls from Kakinada, he said then Uday Srinivas will contest to the Assembly from Pithapuram. This indicates that he is in `two minds’ on the choice of his contest. He seems to be waiting for an assurance from the BJP high-command that he would be accommodated in the next union cabinet, with a key portfolio, to contest in the Lok Sabha polls.
However, BJP leadership seems to be showing interest to project Pawan Kalyan as an `alternate leadership’ to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu. In the case if TDP fails to get an absolute majority on its own to form the next government, BJP is likely to bargain for share of chief ministership and may bring force to make Pawan Kalyan as chief minister for a period of two years.
But, in recent times Pawan Kalyan is making moves in a realistic way. Without waiting for BJP’s nod he unilaterally finalized the seat sharing formula with TDP and thus forced BJP to come to their terms. BJP seems to be worried as Pawan Kalyan is taking political decisions on his own, without waiting for dictation from them.
