All Eyes on Varma’s Political Game Plan Amid TDP-JSP Faceoff During Nagababu’s Pithapuram Tour

Jana Sena Party General Secretary and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s brother, Nagababu, has been facing the wrath of the TDP cadre and supporters of former Pithapuram MLA SVSN Varma.

On the second day of his visit to Pithapuram, Varma’s supporters heckled Nagababu, who was recently elected as an MLC and is set to be inducted into Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet.

Feelings of anger and frustration have been building within the TDP cadre since Varma sacrificed his seat as part of the alliance with the JSP and the BJP to allow Pawan Kalyan to contest from Pithapuram. In return, Varma was promised a seat in the Legislative Council. However, when Naidu broke his promise and approved Nagababu’s nomination instead, the former MLA’s supporters were agitated. Nonetheless, Varma consoled them and reiterated his continuous support for the TDP supremo.

Things took an ugly turn when Nagababu belittled Varma during JSP’s Formation Day celebrations at Chitrada village in the Pithapuram Assembly Constituency. Nagababu stated that only Pawan Kalyan and the support of the people had enabled him to emerge victorious in Pithapuram. “If anyone thinks otherwise, it is their karma (delusion),” he remarked, triggering a fallout between the cadres of JSP and TDP.

Taking strong exception to Nagababu’s remarks, it seems that TDP activists and Varma’s supporters are leaving no opportunity to counter the JSP.

On April 4 (Friday), TDP activists raised slogans praising Varma, even as Nagababu was inaugurating an Anna Canteen in Golaprollu. On Saturday (April 5), they displayed yellow flags (TDP’s colour) and attempted to obstruct JSP workers while the MLC was touring the constituency.

TDP activists have intensified their actions, with speculation rife that Pawan Kalyan has sent his brother to tour Pithapuram in a bid to suppress Varma’s popularity.

Following Nagababu’s comments, Varma has continued to express support for the Konidela brothers in their political endeavours. However, his supporters have upped their ante against the JSP, making one wonder what Varma’s political game plan is after all.

Meanwhile, Kapu patriarch Mudragada’s daughter Kranti Barlapudi, Pawan Kalyan’s supporter, had suggested that Varma was in talks with the YSRCP, and hence might not have been nominated to the Council on a TDP ticket.

It is worth noting that SVSN Varma has been in politics for over two decades, giving him an edge over Pawan Kalyan. Varma is also widely popular in Pithapuram, having won the constituency as an independent.