Agriculture forms the primary poll plank for both the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party in poll-bound Piler Assembly constituency, where campaigning ends on Tuesday.
Both political parties have stepped up their campaigning across the constituency, which has 2.23 lakh voters — a rise of 13,000 voters as compared to 2.10 lakh voters in the 2014 Assembly elections.
The ruling TDP has fielded Nallari Kishore Kumar Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. Mr. Kishore Reddy’s main rival is YSRCP’s sitting MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy.
Straight fight
Though other parties like the JSP, BJP and Congress have fielded candidates in the constituency, the contest is expected to be primarily between TDP and YSRCP, with the role of the other parties expected to be limited to eating into either the TDP or the YSRCP’s votes.
The TDP had won in Piler in 1983, 1985 (mid-term elections), and 1994. The Congress hoisted its flag in Piler in 1989, 1999, 2004 (by present YSRCP leader and then District Congress Committee president Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy) and in 2009 by N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. The YSRCP wrested the seat from Congress in 2014.
Agricultural boom
Compared to previous years, the political landscape has undergone a sea change in Piler in recent years. Spread over Piler, Kalikiri, Valmikipuram, Gurramkonda, Kalakada and Kambam Vari Palle mandals, this assembly constituency witnessed unprecedented development during Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s term as Chief Minister. All over the constituency, the roads underwent a transformation akin to a capital city, coupled with the founding of the JNTU University. The transformation of the roads had changed the face of the constituency right from Piler till Madanapalle, ushering in an agricultural boom and bringing in many businesses.
In 2014, Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy walked out of Congress protesting the bifurcation of the State and launched his Jai Samaikhyandhra Party. Mr. Kishore Reddy contested from Piler on a Samaikhyandhra Party ticket and fought hard to poll over 56,000 votes. Though Mr. Kishore Reddy lost to YSRCP’s Mr. Ramachandra Reddy, he managed to relegate TDP to third place.
After losing the election, Mr. Kishore Reddy went on to join the TDP and was appointed constituency in-charge in November 2017. Since then, he has tirelessly visited every village in the constituency as part of a door-to-door campaign. His father, N. Amarnatha Reddy, was a staunch follower of the Nehru-Gandhi family since 1962 and had served as Union Minister. Mr. Kishore Reddy was also instrumental in tackling dissidence within the TDP, and enjoys a clean image with not a single criminal case against him.
Incumbent faces flak
The YSRCP candidate and sitting MLA Mr. Ramachandra Reddy however is at the receiving end of some criticism back home, as he is said to be inaccessible to voters. Being an Opposition MLA, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy claims that his efforts to bring in visible development remained futile.
Muslim votebank
A three-time MLA (twice from the erstwhile Vayalpadu constituency and once from Piler), Mr. Ramachandra Reddy faces an uphill task of retaining his constituency, not least due to Congress fielding a Muslim minority candidate, and an invigorated JSP pulling out all stops.
The constituency holds a substantial number of Muslim voters, who had reportedly supported the YSRCP in 2014.
Mr. Kishore Reddy said that he would ensure the early completion of HNSS canal works in the constituency and give top priority to housing and agricultural issues. “Everyone in the constituency knows the commitment of the Nallari family for the past six decades. Between 2010 and 2014, the constituency had witnessed matchless development,” he said.
Mr. Ramachandra Reddy, who enjoys the steady support of YSRCP strongman Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, said that the anti-incumbency factor and a ‘Jagan wave’ would definitely help him retain the constituency.
