Denduluru Assembly constituency had once been the centre of the freedom movement. Kovvali and Potunur villages under the constituency are noted for producing freedom fighters. Agriculture is the main livelihood of people in the constituency covering three mandals — Denduluru, Pedavegi and Pedapad.
It is also known for organic farming and the constituency gets irrigation water from Krishna and Godavari rivers while borewells serve the purpose in dry land areas. The constituency also boasts of a national oil palm research centre.
A host of problems plague even this enlightened constituency where the literacy rate is very high. Kovvali village alone has 350 teachers working in public and private schools. The biggest issue is that of unemployment among youth. Elected representatives, who have even gone on to become ministers, have failed to solve the problem.
Fish ponds in over 1,000 acres of land were demolished in the fifth contour of the Kolleru lake in 2004-05 during the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure resulting in the loss of livelihood of fishermen in as many as 10 villages.
Though a financial package has been announced for the residents of Kolleru, a demand for the resurvey of contours of the lake still lies pending. The main demand of the people is that the restrictions on aquaculture should be limited to the third contour instead of the fifth as mentioned in GO 120.
The dry Pedavegi mandal is highly dependant on borewells for irrigation. The demand for nine-hour uninterrupted power supply remains unmet. The mandal faces power outages for five hours resulting in hindrance for irrigation activities. The people in the mandal suffer a shortage of potable and irrigation water though the Krishna river passes through the mandal.
Trouble faced by the people in crossing railway gates at Denduluru and Sitampeta in Denduluru mandal may also influence the final outcome in the polls in the constituency. Besides these, the usual problems of bad roads and drainage continue to plaque the constituency.
Sitting MLA: Chintamaneni Prabhakar
Party: Telugu Desam Party
Votes polled: 69,673
Margin of victory: 14,231
Runner-up: Kotharu Ramachandra Rao
Party: Congress
Votes polled: 55,442
Total electors: 1,78,893
Men: 88,427
Women: 90,466
Poll percentage: 86.13
Total votes polled: 1,53,922
No of contestants: 9
Men: 9
Women: 0
No of polling stations: 208
Avg per polling station: 860
