There is an interesting contest in the offing in Maheswaram constituency in neighbouring Rangareddy district with two old rivals, Sabita Indra Reddy and Teegala Krishna Reddy putting up intense efforts to win the election.
Hosting a population of 4.23 lakh, the Maheswaram constituency is a blend of rural-urban mix with urban segments dominnating a major part of the constituency. Created after delimitation in 2008, the constituency has Saroornagar, Kandukur and Maheswaram mandals, which were hitherto part of Ibrahimpatnam constituency, in its jurisdiction in addition to Sri RK Puram and Saroornagar divisions. There are urban segments like Tukkuguda abutting the international airport, Jalpalli, Badangpet, Mirpet and Jillelguda with predominant presence of educated voters.
The constituency has significant presence of the people hailing from AP in the housing colonies in Sri RK Puram and Saroornagar divisions whose votes could be a decisive factor for the victory of the candidate. The constituency has the reputation of being represented by the first woman Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, in the united Andhra Pradesh in 2009-14 after Ms. Sabita defeated Mr. Krishna Reddy who contested on behalf of the TDP with a margin of close to 9,000 votes.
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Mr. Krishna Reddy won from the constituency in 2014 as TDP candidate when he was pitted against Malreddy Ranga Reddy of the Congress with an impressive margin of over 30,000 votes and subsequently shifted loyalty to the TRS. Though the BJP has fielded A. Sriramulu as its nominee, the fight is largely likely to be between the TRS and the Congress candidate backed by the TDP as part of the Praja Kutami.
The two candidates have already launched their campaign outlining the development activities launched during their respective tenures. Mr. Krishna Reddy is focussing on the improvement of lakes and tanks and steps initiated for supply of drinking water to all households as also mega project like pharma city at Mucherla on the anvil in addition to the benefits reached out to the people through Shaadi Mubarak, Kalyana Lakshmi and other schemes.
Ms. Sabita’s campaign is largely focussed on the failures of the incumbent in ensuring construction of the two bedroom houses and dilution of other schemes like housing under the JNNURM scheme launched by the previous Congress Government. She cited the government’s failure to allot more than 3,500 two-bedroom units that were constructed in Kurmalguda village during the previous Congress regime.
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The condition of the roads in areas like Mirpet, Almasguda and other areas has been the main theme of Ms. Sabita Indra Reddy’s campaign where she is highlighting the failure of Mr. Krishna Reddy to ensure a concrete road for his native Meerpet.