The president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, attempted to prevent the MLC elections in Kadapa-Anantapur-Kurnool local bodies' constituency from being unanimous. Naidu supported an independent candidate, Ramanaiah Yadav, even though the TDP had no chance of winning the seat.
The majority of voters in Kadapa's local bodies belong to the YSR Congress party, leaving the TDP and independent candidates with just 60 votes, insufficient to contest the MLC elections. Naidu's plan was to ensure that the YSR Congress party candidate did not get elected unopposed. He instructed TDP councillors to sign the nomination papers of Ramanaiah Yadav. However, during the scrutiny of the nomination papers, three TDP councillors in Kadapa who were believed to have signed Yadav's nomination papers rebelled against the party.
The three councillors - Shiva Jyothy, the only TDP councillor in Proddutur municipality, and two other TDP councillors from Mydukuru municipality - Venkata Subba Reddy and Khader Basha - lodged a written complaint with the returning officer, stating that they had not signed Ramanaiah Yadav's nomination papers. As a result, Yadav's nomination was rejected as he had submitted forged signatures. The TDP leadership accused the YSR Congress party of threatening the TDP councillors and making them lodge a false complaint with the returning officer.
However, it is believed that the three councillors revolted against the party and supported the YSR Congress party candidate. The election authorities are filing a criminal case against the TDP and the independent candidate while declaring the YSR Congress party candidate, Ramasubba Reddy, elected unopposed.
