VIZIANAGARAM: Vizianagaram parliamentary constituency emerged as the 25th Lok Sabha constituency in the combined Andhra Pradesh and it came into existence in 2009 with the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. This is the third election for the Vizianagaram parliamentary constituency after it was formed. Botsa Jhansi was the first MP of the Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency while Ashok Gajapathi Raju was elected in 2014.
Like in neighbouring Srikakulam LS constituency, Vizianagaram sitting MP P Ashok Gajpathi Raju, who also served as Union minister for Civil Aviation, is also facing a tough competition from YSRC candidate Bellana Chandra Sekhar.
As the YSRCP candidates are giving tough fight to their TDP counterparts in all the Assembly segments under the Vizianagaram parliamentary constituency, the victory of the MP candidate depends on the number of Assembly constituencies to be bagged by each party. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, the scion of the Pusapati dynasty, has vast experience in politics. (Chief Mminister Chandrababu Naidu said many times that they both entered politics at the same time).
Ashok held various portfolios in the State and the Centre while Bellana was Vizianagaram zilla parishad chairman. He also unsuccessfully contested from the Cheepurpalli Assembly constituency in 2014 against TDP candidate Kimidi Mrunalini. As members of the Botsa’s family have sway in many Assembly segments, the blessings of the family are necessary for Bellana, who is contesting on the same party ticket. Botsa Satyanarayana from Cheepurupalli, Botsa Appala Narasayya (Botsa Satyanarayana’s brother) from Gajapathinagaram and Badukonda Appalanaidu (Botsa Satyanarayana’s nephew) from Nellimarla are contesting in the Assembly elections. Bellana belongs to the leading Turpu Kapu community in the district while Ashok Gajapathi Raju is a Kshatriya, which is a minor community in the district. However, out of the nine elections, Ashok was defeated only in 2004 from Vizianagaram Assembly constituency.
During the regime of Ashok Gajapathi Raju, an international airport, horticulture college, medical college, university, veterinary college besides Patanjali Food Park and several other industries were sanctioned to the district. The YSRCP has been conducting the campaign raising the issue of closure of several jute mills besides long-pending irrigation projects. Unlike in other districts, female voters outnumber their male counterparts except in Cheepurupalli Assembly constituency.