NELLORE: For high-profile Congress Minister Anam Vivekananda Reddy, who found Nellore (City) segment which sent him to the Assembly in 2004 too hot for a second run, the newly-carved Nellore Rural Assembly constituency seems to have been a safe haven choice for more than one reason.
His row with P Sailaja Reddy, which resulted in her ouster from the Mayor post and his lacklustre performance are the two major reasons behind Reddy shifting his constituency this time, opine political observers. While the tiff with Sailaja has earned him the wrath of a section of his partymen, his failure to live up to the expectations has pushed the morale of the cadre low.
The Nellore Rural Assembly segment has a mix of urban-rural territory with 38 panchayats including 70 villages in the mandals of Nellore Rural, Podalakur, Muthukur and Indukurpet and 19 divisions of the Nellore Municipal Corporation. The Left parties wield considerable influence in the urban and semi-urban areas because of a strong presence of farm labourers and work force engaged in the unorganised sector and both the CPI and CPM are keen on contesting the seat.
The CPI is contemplating fielding its district secretary P Dasaratha Ramaiah while the CPM almost decided to give the ticket to Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Madala Venkateswarlu. The PRP is in the fray too and Anam Venkatrami Reddy, a close relative of Vivekananda Reddy, is likely to be its candidate.
Many villages that fall in the Rural segment have been subjected to neglect over the years mainly because of their location. While the MLA of the nearby Nellore is not concerned about their development as they do not fall under his constituency, Sarveypalle and Rapur MLAs also ignored them as they were on the fringe areas of their constituencies.
With the villages gaining importance under the new constituency, the fight here is likely to be tough with Vivekanand facing two formidable rivals i.e his own uncle contesting as the PRP candidate and the communists.