The internal tussle over posts in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has once again come into the spotlight. Several senior leaders who have been waiting for MLC positions for a long time are reportedly disappointed with the latest appointments, triggering fresh discontent within the party.
Among them, former MLA SVSN Varma, who gave up the Pithapuram Assembly seat for Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan as part of the alliance arrangement in the 2024 elections, has once again been denied an MLC post. The development has reportedly sparked intense discussion within TDP circles.
Along with Varma, former minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, former MLA Vangaveeti Radha Krishna, Kadapa district TDP president Reddappa Gari Srinivasa Reddy, former Anantapur MLA Prabhakar Chowdary, and TD Janardhan are also reportedly among the senior leaders who have been disappointed by the latest decisions.
The growing discussion within the party is that while assurances are reportedly being given to senior leaders, they are being left out when positions are actually filled.
TDP Senior Leaders Express Discontent
The latest MLC appointments have reportedly intensified dissatisfaction among several senior TDP leaders who have been waiting for political recognition.
Sacrificed Pithapuram Seat, But No MLC Post?
According to the reports, SVSN Varma gave up the Pithapuram Assembly seat for Pawan Kalyan in the 2024 elections as part of the alliance arrangement. It was reportedly assured that Varma would be given an MLC position soon after the alliance government was formed.
However, that assurance has allegedly not materialised.
Despite the passage of nearly two years, Varma has reportedly not received the promised position. Even when opportunities arose to fill MLC vacancies on several occasions, his name was allegedly not considered.
This has reportedly led to growing frustration among his supporters and raised questions within TDP circles: Where is the assurance given when Varma sacrificed the Pithapuram seat for the alliance? Why has the promise not been fulfilled even after two years?
Is Pawan Kalyan the Reason Behind Varma Missing Out?
Another discussion reportedly doing the rounds in TDP circles is that the political situation in Pithapuram may have played a role in Varma not receiving an MLC post.
According to the reports, there is speculation that Pawan Kalyan does not want another political centre of influence to emerge in the Pithapuram constituency, and that this could be one of the reasons for Varma being kept away from the MLC opportunity.
At the same time, Varma is reportedly being told by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh that he will be given an opportunity in the future.
This has led to another question among party leaders: Why do assurances about a post continue to be made, only for the opportunity to disappear when appointments are actually finalised?
MLC Denied, Party Responsibility Also Removed
Varma’s disappointment reportedly goes beyond the MLC issue.
He was also removed from the position of TDP constituency in-charge for Pithapuram. At the time, he was reportedly pacified with assurances that he would be given an MLC position and therefore should not worry about the party responsibility.
However, with the MLC opportunity also reportedly denied, dissatisfaction among Varma’s supporters has intensified.
Reports suggest that Chandrababu Naidu subsequently called Varma and attempted to pacify him. It was reportedly explained that social equations required an SC and a BC leader to be accommodated this time, and that Varma should cooperate for now, with another opportunity to be considered later.
But after waiting for nearly two years, another “we will look at it next time” assurance has reportedly raised doubts over when Varma will actually get an opportunity.
Devineni Uma Also Disappointed
Former minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao is reportedly another senior leader who was hoping for an MLC opportunity this time.
Reports suggest that Uma had sought an MLC position after giving up the Mylavaram seat. Despite his seniority in the party and experience as a minister, his name was reportedly not considered in the latest appointments.
His reported disappointment has triggered a wider debate within TDP over whether political sacrifices and seniority are receiving adequate recognition.
The issue, therefore, is being viewed not merely as one leader missing out on a post, but as a question of how the party rewards leaders who have made sacrifices for its political interests.
What Happened to Lokesh’s Assurance to Vangaveeti Radha?
Former MLA Vangaveeti Radha Krishna is reportedly facing a similar situation.
According to the reports, Nara Lokesh had personally assured Radha that he would be given an MLC position. Based on that assurance, Radha reportedly expected his name to figure in the latest appointments.
However, he was once again left out.
The repeated gap between expectations and actual appointments has reportedly triggered discussions among Radha’s supporters about his political future.
From Srinivasa Reddy to Prabhakar Chowdary, Senior Leaders Disappointed
Kadapa district TDP president Reddappa Gari Srinivasa Reddy was also reportedly expecting an MLC opportunity, but his name was not included.
Similarly, former Anantapur MLA Prabhakar Chowdary and TDP leader TD Janardhan, who is considered close to Chandrababu Naidu, are also reportedly among those who did not receive an opportunity this time.
As the number of senior leaders waiting for positions continues to grow while the number of available posts remains limited, dissatisfaction within the party is reportedly becoming more visible.
Varla Ramaiah Gets MLC Post: What Happened to the ‘One Post Per Family’ Formula?
The appointment of Varla Ramaiah to one of the two recently filled Governor-quota MLC positions has reportedly raised another issue within TDP.
Some party leaders are reportedly questioning the principle of “one post for one family.”
Varla Ramaiah’s son, Varla Kumar Raja, is the MLA from Pamarru. Against this backdrop, some leaders are reportedly asking how another important position could be given to the same family.
The issue has reportedly added to the frustration among senior leaders who believe that their seniority, party service and political sacrifices are not being adequately recognised.
Do Political Sacrifices Still Matter?
The latest MLC appointments have now reportedly become more than just an issue concerning two positions.
They have triggered a wider debate about the political future of leaders who sacrificed seats for the alliance, senior leaders who have worked for the party for years, and those who were reportedly given assurances about future positions.
If leaders are asked to sacrifice seats for alliance politics with the expectation of being accommodated later, but those assurances are not honoured when opportunities arise, questions naturally emerge over what message this sends to the party cadre.
The developments surrounding Varma have reportedly become a major example of this broader dissatisfaction.
Giving up the Pithapuram seat, receiving an MLC assurance, waiting for nearly two years, losing the constituency in-charge position, being pacified again and ultimately missing out on the MLC post—the sequence of events has reportedly intensified the debate over how TDP treats its senior leaders.
If Assurances Remain Only Words, What Is the Future for Senior Leaders?
With several senior leaders reportedly disappointed over the latest appointments, another question is emerging: How much confidence will leaders have in future assurances from the party leadership?
From SVSN Varma, who reportedly sacrificed the Pithapuram seat for alliance politics, to Devineni Uma, who reportedly gave up the Mylavaram seat; from Vangaveeti Radha, who was reportedly assured an MLC position, to other senior leaders waiting for opportunities, the latest developments have opened a fresh debate within TDP.
At the same time, the party leadership may point to social equations, alliance considerations and constituency-level political calculations behind the appointments.
Nevertheless, the central question remains: Where is the clear political assurance for senior leaders who sacrificed for the party and have been waiting for positions?
How Many More Assurances? When Will Senior Leaders Get Justice?
The latest MLC appointments have once again brought the internal tussle over positions in TDP into the spotlight.
While the party may have its own political and social calculations behind the appointments, the reported exclusion of senior leaders who made sacrifices or received assurances has intensified dissatisfaction.
From SVSN Varma’s sacrifice of the Pithapuram seat to Devineni Uma’s political calculations over Mylavaram, and from Vangaveeti Radha’s reported MLC assurance to the expectations of several other senior leaders, the developments have opened a new chapter in the party’s internal politics.
The controversy surrounding Varla Ramaiah’s appointment has also reportedly revived questions over the “one post per family” principle.
The question now confronting TDP’s senior leaders is straightforward:
When will the assurances given to leaders who sacrificed for the party actually be honoured? When will senior leaders waiting for political recognition get their due? Or will their wait continue with yet another promise that they should “wait for the next opportunity”?
