At a time when the candidates in the fray from the Bheemunipatnam Assembly constituency are leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters, poll pundits say that the caste equation appears to be the deciding factor.
Among the pressure groups, Kapus enjoy quite a heft in this segment with a total electorate of 3,05, 958, around 70,000 voters (around 23%) belong to this community. The total number of voters have gone up by 41,438 this time, of which around 10,000 are Kapus.
Given the situation, YSR Congress Party nominee Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao (Avanthi), who switched side from the Telugu Desam Party recently, is expected to cash in on the divide, being a Kapu himself.
“Yes, there is strong Kapu vote base in this Assembly segment, but that is not the only thing that I am banking upon. My track record and the developmental activities that I had undertaken in the past are my strength,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.
Madhurawada is considered as the crucial area in the segment, with over 1.2 lakh voters, followed by Bheemunipatnam Urban (93,000), Anandapuram (close to 47,000 votes), Padmanabham (41,800 voters)
Apart from Kapus, according to the poll pundits, the others who hold the sway are Yadavas, with a vote bank of around 40,000. The remaining are a mixture of BCs, SCs and fishermen.
Migrant workers
However, the other decisive factor would be the migrant workers from Srikakulam whose numbers are close to 30,000.
“They (migrant workers) have cards from both the districts. The biggest question is from where they will exercise their franchise,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.
It is the second time, Mr. Srinivasa Rao is contesting from Bheemunipatnam. He wrested the segment in 2009 on Praja Rajyam Party ticket.
In the 2014 election, he contested from Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituency on TDP ticket and emerged victorious.
‘No regrets’
Referring to changing side, he said that he had no regrets.
“My cadres and supporters wanted me shift and contest from Bheemunipatnam as the TDP was not keen on giving me a ticket for Anakapalle,” he said.
Listing out his priorities, he said that solving the issues pertaining to regularisation of Simhachalam ‘Panchagramala’ land, Chittivalasa Jute Mill problems, building the long-pending RTC bus complex, setting up government colleges at Anandapuram and Tagarpuvalasa and addressing the unemployment issue topped the bill.
