Summary:
Amaravati: In what could be a new trend, political parties found it extremely difficult to identify candidates for Lok Sabha elections . “The power centred around the MLAs has made the MPs dummies without a say in any development activity in their constituencies. They have no role to play either in Parliament or in the constituency,” said a senior TDP leader. Even senior leaders who spent over three decades in public life, too, are keen only on contesting to assembly and stayed away from Parliament elections.“This is clearly a new trend where the leaders have lost interest in contesting the Lok Sabha elections. “Many works that were recommended by me without consulting local MLAs were stalled in the middle,” said an MP on the condition of anonymity.He said since the state government was giving high priority to the MLAs, local bodies including panchayats and municipalities have a minimal role in development projects..