The ongoing political tussle between the Jana Sena Party and its alliance partner, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), in the Pithapuram Assembly constituency of Kakinada district is taking increasingly intriguing turns with each passing day.
While the Jana Sena Party leaders and cadre have firmly asserted their dominance in the constituency — represented by their party president and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan — TDP leaders, led by former MLA S.V.S.N. Varma, are putting up stiff resistance.
During the recent visit of Pawan Kalyan’s brother, Nagababu, who was recently nominated as an MLC, several programmes were held in Pithapuram.
However, Varma was not invited to any of them by the Jana Sena leaders. In response, TDP workers staged protest demonstrations during Nagababu’s visit.
So far, the leadership of both parties has remained silent on these local developments. Amid this tense political climate, Varma made a noteworthy demand that has caused a stir within the TDP.
Despite being denied the MLC seat he was reportedly promised, Varma continues to express loyalty to the TDP leadership.
In a recent statement, he emphasized the need for the party to be led more assertively by Nara Lokesh and proposed a long-term "Vision 2047" strategy.
He even urged TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to officially appoint Lokesh as the party president, crediting Lokesh’s "Yuva Galam" padayatra as the key factor behind the party’s return to power.
These remarks are widely seen as a calculated move to counter the growing influence of the Jana Sena and subtly downplay Pawan Kalyan’s role in the coalition’s success.
At the same time, Varma is believed to be weighing his future political options. As long as the TDP-Jana Sena alliance remains intact, his chances of securing the TDP ticket from Pithapuram appear slim — especially with Pawan Kalyan firmly entrenched there.
As a result, political developments surrounding Varma in Pithapuram continue to be closely monitored by leaders and supporters of both parties within the coalition.