Three contestants from major political parties and an independent are in fray for the polls to the Razole (SC) Assembly constituency. Former Minister Gollapalli Suryarao is trying his luck as a TDP candidate, while sitting Congress MLA Rapaka Varaprasad will contest the elections as an independent candidate.
The YSR Congress has fielded Bonthu Rajeswara Rao, a former engineer-in-chief in Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department, while Sarella Vijaya Prasad is all set to contest as a Congress nominee. He worked as Sarpanch of Rameswaram village and said to have good contacts which he had developed during his Praja Rajyam days.
Mr. Gollapalli Surya Rao, like Mr. Bonthu Rajeswara Rao, is a non-local as the TDP has fielded him from the Razole Assembly segment in the last minute. Earlier, he was support to contest from the Amalapuram Parliament constituency.
Sitting MLA Rapaka Varaprasad (Congress), who had switched loyalty to the BJP, resigned immediately after the TDP decided to give the ticket to Gollapalli Suryarao as per the understanding over the seat sharing. He is now in the fray as an independent. All the four candidates are confident of winning the elections.
Voter’s profileRazole Assembly constituency in Konaseema region of East Godavari District is reserved for Scheduled Castes and the Congress has been winning this seat for the past four elections. The segment comprises Malikipuram, Mamidikuduru, Sakhinetipalli and Razole mandals. The total electorate in the segment which stood at 1.3 lakh in 2004, has increased to 1,71,026 votes by January 2014.
Though the total number of votes polled in 2009 was more than that of 2004, poll percentage was comparatively less when compared to 2004. In 2009, the segment registered a polling percentage of 79.82 (1, 32,127 votes ) ) and it was 83.98 (1,09,560 votes) in 2004. Rapaka Varaprasad of the Congress had 52,319 votes in his favour, while his nearest Praja Rajyam Party rival got 46,450 votes.
