Telugu Desam Party legislator Kandula Narayana Reddy is considered to be a giant killer for defeating four-time Congress MLA from Markapur K.P. Konda Reddy in the 2009 elections. But this time it may not be a cakewalk for him, as Mr. Konda Reddy has quit the Congress to join the YSR Congress. He has thrown his hat in the ring along with other senior leaders such as Udumala Srinivasa Reddy, Hanuma Reddy and K. Nagarjuna Reddy.
The ruling Congress, which earlier had won the seat for six times, is virtually out of the reckoning in this election with no strong candidate being fielded from this constituency, with a total electorate of about 1.89 lakh including 93,876 women.
After his candidature was confirmed by TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Narayana Reddy is leaving no stone unturned to retain the seat by ensuring the victory of his supporters in the municipal polls as well as in the MPTC, ZPTC elections. Meanwhile, the YSRC is hell bent on annexing the seat by putting a formidable untested candidate from outside the constituency, where the Reddy community enjoys a considerable political clout.
After the internal surveys indicated that the TDP has put a good showing in the civic polls, the YSRC, which had initially announced the candidature of former TDP MLA Janke Venkat Reddy for the seat, has dropped the idea and is scouting for a formidable candidate, who can wrest the prestigious seat.
YSRC yet to find ‘Mr. Right’The YSRC sources said that the party leadership was toying with the idea of fielding the sitting Congress MLA of adjoining Giddalur constituency, Anna Ram Babu, who was keen on joining the fledgling party from the constituency after he quit the Congress soon after the Telangana Bill was passed in the Parliament.
The YSRC is also considering shifting its sitting Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy in the event of the TDP giving the Ongole seat to a BC candidate, party sources said.
During his hectic electioneering, Mr. Narayana Reddy stresses on the historic need to bring back Mr. Naidu as the Chief Minister to develop the successor State. “I am confident of winning the seat by a margin of at least 15,000 votes,” he said, expecting a morale-boosting win in the civic polls considered as a litmus test ahead of the Assembly elections.
