Kanna’s Solution To Group Politics Backfires Badly

Former Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana, who joined the Telugu Desam Party before the elections, won Sattenapalli with a strong majority. After Kodela Siva Prasad Rao’s demise, local leaders YV Anjaneyulu and Siva Ram had expected the ticket, but Kanna was brought in to avoid groupism.

Though new to the constituency, Kanna understood the local dynamics. Since most groups were from the Kamma community, and he belonged to the Kapu community, he believed only a Kamma leader could handle them. So, he appointed Daruvuri Nageshwara Rao to manage coordination.

However, this move backfired badly. TDP leaders accused Kanna of sidelining seniors while encouraging Daruvuri. Both YV and Siva Ram’s groups opposed him. Allegations also surfaced that Daruvuri was interfering in civil settlements and supporting unauthorised real-estate activities.

Reports claim Daruvuri helped lay a road to a layout illegally built near Amaravati Major Canal, prompting irrigation officials to complain to the police. As a contractor and real-estate agent, he also faces corruption allegations from Ambati Rambabu, adding fuel to political tensions.

Ambati further alleged that Daruvuri collected money for job aspirants at power substations and bought litigation projects at cheap rates. What began as Kanna’s strategy to tackle group politics has now turned into a major headache, leaving him on the defensive.