YSRC leader Vasantha Venkata Krishna Prasad, who wrested Mylavaram Assembly constituency from former Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao with a majority of 12,653 votes, attributes his success to people’s blessings and YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s charisma. The 49-year-old businessman turned politician is the son of former minister Vasantha Nageswara Rao. Though he locked horns with Devineni in 1999 elections, he lost. Now, it is a reversal of fortunes for him, who proved to be a giant-killer.
Excerpts from an interview with Vasantha Venkata Krishna Prasad by S Guru Srikanth
Congratulations on your spectacular victory. How has been the journey so far?
Thank you and it is all due to the blessings of people of Mylavaram Assembly constituency. It is their faith in me, that saw me where I am today - as their representative in the Assembly. Though the journey so far has been bumpy, people’s belief that I can resolve their issues and represent them better, has enabled me to win the election.
What do you think made you the people’s choice?
Trust in YSRC led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. People were fed up with Devineni and his ‘corrupt’ practices for the past 10 years. The people’s verdict should be seen as a check to Devineni’s arrogance.
What are your priorities and action plan for the development of Mylavaram?
The real challenge for me has started now. I have to strive to live up to the people’s expectations. I am confident of coming through the challenge with flying colours. As you know, farmers in the region, have been suffering for want of irrigation water.
My priority is to get Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme completed at the earliest as a permanent solution to the irrigation water problem of Mylavaram, located at the tail end of Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal. In another fortnight, I will take the irrigation minister, whoever may be, to the project site to speed up the works.
Is there any truth in Devineni’s claims that he had initiated several measures as Water Resources Minister to solve the water problem in Mylavaram?
What Devineni did was spending several crores of rupees on 22 minor lift irrigation schemes in the constituency to irrigate a couple of thousand acres, which has not served the purpose. Only contractors had ‘benefited’ from the execution of the schemes. It is evident with the defeat of Devineni that his claims are wrong.
Will you demand an inquiry into those projects?
If there is any misuse of public funds in execution of the irrigation schemes, it will be looked into to do the needful.
People of G Konduru and other areas in Mylavaram constituency are suffering from kidney ailments due to lack of protected water. Will you come up with a permanent solution to the problem?
It is true that kidney ailment cases are on the rise in the constituency. I will strive to supply protected water to people. As promised, I will also get a dialysis centre with a full-time nephrologist for Mylavaram.
Your father Nageswara Rao had served as Home minister in the past. What are your chances of getting a cabinet berth?
I am not that ambitious. There are several senior leaders in the YSRC. I will abide by the decision of the party leadership.