JAGTIAL: The politics in Korutla revolves around Muthyampet Sugar Factory. It was shut down in 2009 and a layoff was announced on December 22, 2015, leaving thousands of sugarcane farmers in the lurch.The sugarcane farmers had seen great days when they grew the crop in over 70,000 hectares. But not anymore. The area of cultivation has come down significantly.
Now that the elections are just a fortnight away, Muthyampet Sugar Factory has become the focal point for all three parties: the BRS, BJP and Congress. The pink party is promising to reopen the factory within 100 days of coming to power but this is not cutting any ice with the farmers.
Korutla constituency was created during delimitation in 2009. Since then general elections have taken place thrice. Since its creation, the BRS has retained the seat. The incumbent MLA is Kalvakuntla Vidyasagar Rao. Earlier, the constituency was part of Metpalli segment.
The main contestants are: Dharmapuri Arvind from the BJP, Dr Kalvakuntla Sanjay from the BRS, and Juvvadi Narsinga Rao from the grand old party. Korutla is part of the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by the BJP candidate Dharmapuri Arvind.
The BRS ticket went to incumbent MLA Vidyasagar Rao’s son Dr Sanjay. “Dr Sanjay is known as a ‘discounts’ doctor as he helps the people in the constituency whenever they have any health problem. He works in a super specialty hospital in Hyderabad but gives priority to people from the constituency,” says Dhanraj, a private college lecturer in Korutla.
The sugarcane farmers initially threatened to file nominations en masse in protest against the government not attending to their demand for reopening the sugar factory in Muthyampet but backed out later after an assurance from the government.
Advantage BJP?
The economic mainstay of the constituency is agriculture. Farmers grow turmeric, maize, and sugarcane. The Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP) canal serves the irrigation needs of farmers in the constituency.A sugarcane farmer, M Narayan Reddy, said this time they would support the party that is sincere in their assurances to them.BJP candidate Dharmapuri Arvind might benefit from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent promise of setting up a national turmeric board, which will also benefit farmers of Jagtial and Nizamabad districts.
“I have brought the National Turmeric Board. I will also make efforts for the reopening of the Muthyampet Sugar Factory to help sugarcane farmers. I will get an allotment of houses for the poor by the Central government,” said Arvind.
BRS candidate Dr Sanjay said, “I will continue the good work of my father, who is the present MLA, in the constituency. I will ensure that welfare schemes of the government reach all the eligible beneficiaries.”
Congress nominee Juvvadi Narsinga Rao, who is the son of former minister late Juvvadi Ratnakar Rao, said that he will address local issues on priority if elected.