Can Rathna Prabha Change BJP's Fortune?

The BJP had finally named its candidate for the impending Tirupati Lok Sabha by-election.

The top leadership of the party had cleared the name of retired IAS officer Rathna Prabha to contest the by-election.

Rathna Prabha retired as chief secretary of Karnataka in June 2018 and had joined the BJP, immediately after her retirement. 

She is currently chairperson of the Skill Development Corporation, in Karnataka state.

Though another retired IAS officer, Dasari Sreenivasulu and former minister Ravela Kishore Babu tried for this seat, the party top leadership favoured Rathna Prabha.

Rathna Prahba is the daughter of retired IAS officer Kathi Chandraiah, who hailed from Prakasam district. 

Dr Chandraiah started his career in Madras State and later joined Andhra State and retired in Andhra Pradesh. 

Rathna Prabha’s husband, Vidyasagar is also a retired IAS officer. Her brother, Pradeep Chandra, an IAS, was retired in 2019 as chief secretary of Telangana State. 

Rathna Prabha’s choice is seen as greater debacle for the BJP than anticipated as she is not known to the voters when compared to Dasari Sreenivasulu. 

The TDP’s Panabaka Lakshmi, is known to the people of Nellore district, where four out of seven Assembly segments are located.

In fact, she had contested the 2019 elections from Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency and thus known to the voters of Tirupati, Srikahalahasti and Satyavedu Assembly segments in Chittoor district.

The YSR Congress candidate, Dr M Guru Murthy is a popular physiotherapist in Tirupati town and is known for the people around.

He carries the advantage of all seven MLAs of the Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency, in addition to the party sitting in power.

When compared to the candidates of the YSR Congress and the TDP, Rathna Prabha of the BJP-Jana Sena combine is a new face and may not bring the expected result for the party. 

It is now believed that the BJP, which is pinning its hopes of Telangana’s Dubbaka victory, may not put up a similar victory in Tirupati with the candidature of Rathna Prabha.