Fed up with constant criticism that he was not allowing any BC to occupy CM gaddi, TDP president and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is understood to be toying with the idea of nominating senior leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu as his CM candidate, if the party wins 2009 elections.

Sources say, going by Naidu’s penchant for national politics and obsession with leading a national level front – UNPA, prospects of someone else in TDP being projected for CM post are getting brighter. Moreover, Yanamala as Assembly speaker played a key role in making Naidu as CM when the latter revolted against late NTR in 1995.

Not only that, Naidu is also at loss to tackle the possible revolt by senior colleague Devender Goud in the coming weeks. Goud is all set to part ways with TDP and join hands with Chiranjeevi, and work for separate Telangana. If that happens, Naidu will find it difficult to contain BC sections within the party.

So far, TDP leadership has projected itself as pro-BC in the state. That is true to a large extent as Congress has always relied on SC/STs and other forward sections in the last six decades. Now that Congress is in a strong position and BCs are not ready to back him fully, TDP supremo is being forced to declare Yanamala, a Yadav leader as CM candidate.

Whether or not this strategy works is to be observed in the coming days.