Gajuwaka MLA-elect Palla Srinivasa Rao made TDP A.P. president

Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao appointed as TDP State president in Andhra Pradesh, vows to strengthen party.

In a significant development, Gajuwaka MLA-elect Palla Srinivasa Rao has been appointed as the State president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. He will replace Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, who has been made Minister for Agriculture.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao, who belongs to the BC Yadava community, won against former IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath (YSRCP) with a majority of 95,235 votes in the recently held elections. He won from the same constituency in the 2014 elections but lost to YSRCP’s T. Nagi Reddy in 2019, which political observers attribute to the division of votes as JSP president K. Pawan Kalyan too contested from the constituency.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao, however, continued to work for strengthening the party and building the cadre in the city, especially Gajuwaka. During the last five years, he served as the TDP Visakhapatnam Parliamentary Constituency unit president.

On behalf of the TDP, he played an active role in the protest against the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and went on a hunger strike in February 2021.

Though there was some discontent among his supporters for not accommodating him in the Cabinet despite his landslide victory, his elevation in the party ranks led to celebrations in Gajuwaka.

“It is an honour and privilege to take up the post of A.P. TDP chief, which was earlier held by stalwarts like N. Chandrababu Naidu, Kala Venkata Rao, and Kinjarapu Atchannaidu,’‘ Mr. Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu.

“It is a huge responsibility and I will strive hard to live up to the expectations of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and further strengthen the party in the State,” he added.