Vijayawada: Chalasani Smitha, daughter of TDP leader Chalasani Pandu, has voiced grievances regarding her family’s treatment within the party. Smitha accused the TDP of neglecting her family’s needs following her father’s demise.
During a press conference, she criticized the party leadership for awarding the Penamaluru seat to Bode Prasad instead of considering her candidacy. Smitha pointed to internal party dynamics as contributing to her father’s defeat in the 2009 elections.
She expressed disappointment over Chandrababu Naidu’s unfulfilled pledges of support, noting that despite assurances, her family was sidelined in both the 2014 and 2019 elections.
Despite actively campaigning for the party post-2019 elections, Smitha felt overlooked when seeking a ticket and support from senior leadership. Despite her efforts to bolster the party’s grassroots presence, she felt disregarded and labeled the TDP as a party of betrayal.
Smitha notably felt excluded from the party’s decision-making processes and expressed concerns about Bode Prasad’s influence within the party. Even Nara Lokesh’s delegation of responsibilities at the grassroots level failed to assuage Smitha’s fears of being marginalized within the party.
