With four Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh set to fall vacant this year, intense competition has emerged among alliance partners, particularly within the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which leads the coalition.
Every passing day, new names are surfacing as caste equations, local political considerations and past assurances given by party leadership shape the selection process.
In a fresh development, the name of senior TDP leader Vangaveeti Radhakrishna has unexpectedly entered the race for a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Vijayawada, one of the most politically significant cities for the alliance and the TDP, is also a stronghold of Kapu community politics, where Radha is considered an influential figure.
Despite being associated with the TDP for a long time, Radha has not been given any major post. He was denied a ticket in the last assembly elections and was also overlooked during the distribution of nominated posts, leading many to believe his political prospects within the party had diminished.
However, his entry into the Rajya Sabha race has revived speculation about his future.
Several leaders are already in contention for Rajya Sabha nominations from the TDP, including TD Janardhan, Bhashyam Ramakrishna and sitting MP Sana Satish Babu.
Satish Babu, considered close to party general secretary Nara Lokesh, may be given another term as he did not get a full tenure earlier. For another seat, Chandrababu Naidu is reportedly considering Vangaveeti Radha’s candidature.
The move is seen as part of a broader strategy to consolidate support among the Kapu community ahead of future elections.
By giving Radha a Rajya Sabha berth, the TDP leadership hopes to strengthen its outreach to Kapus in Vijayawada and across coastal Andhra districts.
Party insiders believe that nominating Radha could help shed criticism that he has been used only for campaigning without being given due recognition.
Elevating him to the Rajya Sabha may not only provide him a significant role but also bring Kapu voters closer to the TDP, potentially proving to be a game-changing decision for the party.