TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh is planning to change his constituency from Mangalagiri in Guntur district for the 2024 general elections.
Sources within the TDP reveal that Lokesh is actively seeking a safer seat to avoid a potential second defeat in Mangalagiri.
Lokesh reportedly expressed concerns about the adverse impact a second defeat would have on his political career to the party's top leadership.
In response, the party leadership has suggested several secure seats among the 175 constituencies.
The prime choice was Hindupur Assembly constituency, a stronghold of the TDP since 1983. This seat has never been lost by the TDP and has been represented by prominent leaders such as the late NTR, Harikrishna, and currently, Nandamuri Balakrishna.
However, it remains uncertain whether Balakrishna would vacate the seat for Lokesh and opt to contest from the Gudivada Assembly constituency. Apart from Hindupur, the party leadership recommended seats where Kamma voters hold significant influence.
Other suggested seats include Penamaluru, Vijayawada East, Gudivada, Mylavaram, Ponnuru, and Nuzvid, where TDP and Kamma voters have a substantial presence.
Gudivada might not be Lokesh's preference, considering the challenge of defeating the incumbent MLA, Kodali Nani.
While Penamaluru also boasts a sizable Kamma voter population, Lokesh seems to be eyeing the Vijayawada East seat, currently held by the TDP's Gadde Ramamohan Rao. The urban voters in this area favor the TDP, and there is a significant Kamma voter base.
Lokesh has dispatched teams to assess his chances in Vijayawada East, and it is likely that he will target this seat once the election campaign begins.
