With candidates of five major parties in the fray, an interesting contest is on the cards in the Srikalahasti Assembly constituency, a stronghold of the TDP.
The constituency is home to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT – Tirupati), the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and the international airport and as such has witnessed the maximum development in the district since 2014. Sitting MLA Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, who has won five out of the last six elections since 1989, played a pivotal role in strengthening the TDP’s support base.
This time, the ailing leader has dropped out of the race paving the way for his son Sudheer Reddy.
The young leader has created an image for himself, but faces criticism of having ‘serious disconnect’ with party seniors.
New face
He has a strong contender in YSRCP’s Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested the elections in 2014. He has toured the constituency during the last five years to slowly build up his base. Srikalahastheeswara temple trust board former Chairman Kola Anand, as the BJP candidate, expects his following among the youth and the saffron party’s charisma to translate into votes. PCC veteran leader S. Batheiah Naidu is contesting as the Congress candidate, while Jana Sena has fielded Vinutha Nagaram, a new face.
The young lady, hailing from a middle class family in Renigunta, merely applied for the ticket and got it on merit, surpassing lobbyists.
Scheduled Castes and Vannekula Kshatriyas, with over 40,000 and 33,000 votes respectively, are the major communities that can tilt a party’s applecart. The TDP government announced Vannekula Kshatriya Corporation and appointed noted urologist Cipai Subramanyam its Chairman. Though it should benefit the party, a section of the community sees it as pushing the ticket aspirant out of the race. Similarly, erstwhile strategist and Balija leader K. Srirama Murthy deserted the TDP to join the YSRCP, followed by former MLA and Kamma face S.C.V. Naidu and Prakash Yadav, having clout among Yadavs.
The desertions have come as a shock for the TDP, but it is hopeful that the development achieved by the government will work in its favour.
