Protests Erupt In Anantapur Over TDP's ticket

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Friday released the final list of the party's candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The party's candidates for 144 Assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats have been announced in four phases.

TDP leader Prabhakar Chowdary's supporters staged a protest after Daggubati Venkateswara Prasad was announced as the candidate for the Anantapur Urban Assembly seat.

Flexes and pamphlets of the party were set on fire, and the TDP party office in Anantapur city was attacked and its window panes broken. The furniture and computers in the office were also destroyed. Tension prevailed in Anantapur due to the agitation of Chowdary's faction.

The supporters were angry that those who had worked hard for the party were not given tickets, and that the tickets were "sold" for money. They raised slogans of "Chandrababu down down", and "Lokesh down down".

Meanwhile, the former MLA Prabhakar Chowdary reacted sharply to the fact that he did not get the party ticket. He alleged that the Telugu Desam Party had sold out, and that tickets were being given only to those who had money.

"The Telugu Desam Party is not walking with principles. I worked hard for the party for five years. I sold my own assets. Whom did Chandrababu Naidu ask before giving the ticket to Daggubati Prasad? Is he Gandhi's successor? On what basis was he given the ticket? I will announce my future course of action on Saturday. Even if Chandrababu calls me, I will not go to him," Chowdary said.

He complained that injustice has also been done to many others in the district.