Caste factor will play an important role in deciding the fate of the contestants in Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat, where a triangular contest is being expected. Kamma community is the dominant one in Narasaraopet followed by Reddy community.
Keeping it in view, TDP has fielded veteran parliamentarian Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, while YSRC gave the party ticket to newbie Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, both from the same caste - Kamma. BJP State president Kanna Lakshminarayana who is contesting on behalf of the saffron party, belongs to Kapu community.
A look at electioneering in the Lok Sabha constituency, revealed that the YSRC candidate is a step ahead of other contestants. Krishna Devarayalu along with his entire family has been campaigning day and night and all the YSRC candidates from the seven Assembly segments are showing a united front.
However, the same could not be said of TDP candidate Rayapati, who is not campaigning like before owing to health factor. His family members are campaigning on behalf of him. Interestingly, there has been a lack of support from some TDP Assembly candidates in the Lok Sabha constituency to Rayapati.
BJP candidate Lakshminarayana is reported to have been involved in the election campaigning the least and people have started wondering if he has given up the contest already. Narasaraopet has unique place among the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State as three candidates, who represented the LS constituency, became Chief Ministers of AP.