TDP Mahila president Anitha locks horns with YSRCP candidate Kambala Jogulu in Payakaraopeta Assembly seat

Groundwater contamination is one of the major problems as there are two chemical plants located near the coastal villages in the Assembly constituency

TDP-BJP-JSP alliance’s Payakaraopeta Assembly segment candidate Vangalapudi Anitha recently campaigning in Odisha to woo migrant voters, who settle there for their livelihood.. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The YSR Congress Party(YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party(TDP) have been striving for the victory of their candidates in the Scheduled Caste reserved Payakaraopeta Assembly Constituency (PAC) in Anakapalli district.

Kambala Jogulu is the nominee of the YSRCP while Vangalapudi Anitha is from the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance.

The YSRCP chose Mr. Jogulu, who is a sitting MLA of Rajam segment in Vizianagaram district), as the party candidate by replacing sitting MLA Golla Baburao, who was sent to the Rajya Sabha.

YSRCP candidate Kambala Jogulu | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Ms. Anitha, who has gained prominence with her vehement criticism of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy since 2019 as the Telugu Mahila State president, is testing her luck this time. She won from the Payakaraopeta Assembly constituency once in 2014 elections, but lost in 2019 as she was shifted to West Godavari district’s Kovvur Assembly segment.

The TDP-BJP-JSP seems to be trying to project Mr. Jogulu as a non-local candidate to mar his prospects in the election. The alliance party leaders are also expecting a bumper majority to their candidate Anitha.

“There is a tradition of electing leaders from outside Payakaraopeta Assembly constituency. The sitting MLA Baburao is also once a non-local as he hailed from East Godavari district. So, there will not be much impact of the non-local tag of Mr. Jogulu in the constituency. The YSRCP is confident that Mr. Jogulu will definitely win from the seat as he is a non-controversial politician and a four-time MLA,” said a senior party leader.

The constituency has a large number of fisherfolk, who have some crucial issues to be addressed by the elected contestants. Groundwater contamination is one of the major problems as there are two chemical plants located near the coastal villages in the segment. There are no proper higher educational institutions and drinking water facilities.

“So far it does not have a government degree college. Students have to rely on private institutions or go to nearby areas like Tuni to study in government colleges,” said a resident Prasad.

PAC was formed in 1951. It currently consists of four mandals namely Payakaraopeta, Nakkapalli, Kotauratla and S. Rayavaram. Raja Sagi Suryanarayana Raju was the first MLA elected as an independent candidate from Payakaropeta in 1952. He got 9,757 votes as against his rival candidate Sunkari Appala Naidu of Congress and won with a margin of 4,027 votes. Only 31,695 electors voted out of 63,155 for the first polling that was held on March 27 in 1952 for the Legislative Assembly of Madras.

Now, it has 2,48,702 general voters, including 1,22,402 males and 1,26,298 females. There are only two third gender voters. Service electors are 435 and NRI electors are six.