Can Legislative Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao break the jinx and win from the Sattenapalli Assembly segment? This is the question on everyone’s mind as Dr. Rao, a five-time MLA and a senior leader of Telugu Desam Party, is locked in a fierce contest against YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu. Former MLA Yerram Venkateswara Reddy has been fielded by Jana Sena Party. History has it that leaders who have become Speakers have never won elections.
The countdown to the elections was not without its share of drama, as TDP mulled fielding the senior leader from Narsaraopet Lok Sabha Constituency, a move which was met with stiff resistance from Dr. Rao. Finally, he got the nod to seek re-election from this segment. The candidature of Mr. Rambabu was also in jeopardy with his rivals seeking a change, but the party decided to retain him.
Dr. Rao, a native of Kandlakunta village, began his innings on the political turf at Narsaraopet in a dramatic manner by taking head-on the powerful Kasu family, and won in 1983. Since then, he had emerged victorious in several gladiatorial electoral battles with Kasu Krishna Reddy. Dr. Rao had been an undisputed leader in Guntur district holding many ministerial portfolios, until the elections in 2004 when he lost to Kasu Krishna Reddy. After losing again in 2009, Dr. Rao shifted to Sattenapalli segment in 2014 and won against Ambati Rambabu with a narrow margin of 950 votes. He was elevated as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and played a key role in moving from Hyderabad to the newly constructed Assembly premises at Velagapudi.
Development works
Dr. Rao is banking heavily on a slew of development works he had taken up in this segment, including making the entire Assembly segment Open Defecation Free (ODF), renovation of burial grounds, construction of a 100-bed hospital and sanctioning funds to construction of railway underbridge. The Speaker also used his influence to get sanctions for widening of Guntur-Hyderabad highway into a four-lane road beginning from Perecharla and ending at Kondumudu. His tenure was capped with unveiling of NTR Memorial Park, which has the 35-foot-tall statue of NTR erected on a 40-foor pedestal.
“I have relentlessly worked for the development of this Assembly segment and Narsaraopet, and made it a model constituency. I am confident of winning this time too,” says Dr. Rao.
The Speaker, however, is faced with a lot of issues on his home turf. Allegations of interference in administration by his son, Kodela Siva Ram, are being hurled by rival parties. Mr. Rambabu, who has undertaken a padayatra three months back, is also banking on a wave of anti-incumbency. With chances of the JSP getting a chunk of Kapu votes, which could prove to be the deciding factor, Mr. Rambabu is putting all his efforts to win from this segment.
