The alliance between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena has hit a hurdle in Nellore as disagreements over seat sharing threaten to trigger a friendly contest in the upcoming municipal elections. With the deadline for withdrawing nominations falling today, alliance leaders are making last-minute efforts to convince rebel candidates to step aside. However, the deadlock in Nellore City Municipal Corporation has emerged as a major challenge for the coalition.
Across Andhra Pradesh, candidates from TDP, Jana Sena and the BJP have filed nominations in several constituencies as part of their seat-sharing arrangements. Yet, rebel candidates remain in the fray in many areas. Party leaders are now working against the clock to persuade them to withdraw and avoid splitting alliance votes.
Jana Sena Demands 30% Seats in Nellore:
Nellore has become a key point of disagreement between TDP and Jana Sena. The city has 72 divisions, and both parties have fielded candidates in areas where their nominations overlap. Jana Sena is seeking 30% of the seats in Nellore. However, TDP has reportedly refused to accept the demand. According to the details available, TDP has offered only five seats, which Jana Sena considers insufficient.
Jana Sena General Secretary and Nellore party coordinator Thammireddy Siva Shankar held discussions with Minister P. Narayana and Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy to resolve the issue. The talks weren’t successful. After the leaders declined to meet the 30% demand, Siva Shankar reportedly walked out of the meeting.
Jana Sena Prepares to Contest Independently?
Following the breakdown in negotiations, Jana Sena announced that it would contest independently in the divisions where it believes it deserves a chance. The party is expected to issue B-forms to its candidates today, allowing them to proceed with their nominations. As part of the broader alliance arrangement, Jana Sena was allocated four municipal corporations and 21 municipalities. However, the disagreement in Nellore shows that seat-sharing negotiations have not gone smoothly everywhere.
With nominations set to be withdrawn by the end of the day, Nellore has become a crucial test of the alliance’s coordination at the local level. The final candidate list will determine whether the partners can resolve their differences or enter the municipal polls as rivals in key divisions.
