All the candidates are leaving no stone unturned to wrest the Srikakulam Lok Sabha constituency as only one week is left for the electioneering to come to an end in the district.
The elections here assume significance with the Union Minister of State for Communication and Technology Killi Kruparani (Congress) and Rammohan Naidu (TDP), son of Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu whose death in a road accident in 2012 plunged the party into a crisis, remaining in the fray and YSRC candidate Reddi Shanti, daughter of former Rajya Sabha member Palavalasa Rajasekharam, makes it is a tough triangular fight in this constituency, dubbed as the TDP’s stronghold. Jai Samaikyandhra Party has fielded Pydi Rajarao and Jayadev is the candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party. Each of them is adopting a different style to woo the voters.
Caste factorThe poll campaigns have reached its peak with relentless road-shows and door-to-door visits in all the seven Assembly segments under the Srikakulam Lok Sabha (LS) constituency. Ms. Kruparani is banking in on her contacts in the nook and corner of the constituency. She is hopeful of getting the support from the Kalinga Vysya community as she had tried seriously for their inclusion in the list of the Backward Classes (BCs) in the past.
In Srikakulam district, caste equation has always played a key role in all the elections with Kalinga community playing the predominant role since 1952. Well known Kalinga leader Boddepalli Rajagopala Rao had represented the segment from 1952 to 1984, barring four years from 1967 to 71. Freedom fighter and farmers’ leader Acharya N.G. Ranga had defeated Mr. Rajagopala Rao in 1967 polls. Till the entry of Velama leader Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu into Parliament elections, people used to elect only Kalinga community leaders. Till the entry of Velama leader Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu into Parliament elections, people used to elect only Kalinga community leaders.
Mr. Rammohan is trying to win people’s hearts by narrating the services rendered by his father to the district. He has covered many parts of seven Assembly constituencies such as Srikakulam, Narasannapeta, Tekkali, Patapatnam, Amadalavalasa, Palasa and Itchapuram extensively during his cycle yatra.
Development plankAt the other hand, Ms. Reddi Shanti is eliciting support of both rural and urban voters while explaining the promises being made by YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy for welfare of all sections of the society. She is dependent on former Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao (Srikakulam Assembly candidate) and other senior leaders of her party as this is her first direct entry into the politics .
