VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency is known for accepting ‘Parachute’ leaders for long. Leaders who do not hail from this place have been elected MPs from here and, they include T Subbarami Reddy, Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy and Daggubati Purandeswari. However, last elections, voters decided not to continue the trend and delivered a shocker. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother Vijayamma suffered a drubbing in the 2014 polls, but this has not deterred ‘outsiders’ to throw in their hat again.
Daggubati Purandeswari is contesting again from here, this time on BJP ticket, while former CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana is also in the fray on Jana Sena ticket.
In 2014, the contest for the Visakhapatnam seat turned interesting with the YSRC fielding Vijayamma. However, she suffered a shocking defeat then as K Haribabu, nominee of the BJP-TDP alliance, trounced her by a margin of over 90,000 votes. However, this election is altogether different as three major parties — TDP, YSRC, and Jana Sena — have roped in political novices. The BJP has fielded Purandeswari, former Union minister and daughter of TDP founder NTR.
The TDP has fielded Sri Bharat, grandson of late MVVS Murthi, founder of Gitam group of educational institutions. Murthi had been elected to the Lok Sabha twice on TDP ticket in 1991 and 1999. Sri Bharat, a Stanford University graduate, is trying to build rapport with all sections of people. He is trying to continue political legacy of his grandfather.
The Jana Sena sprang a surprise when it announced VV Lakshminarayana’s candidature. Lakshminarayana has become popular when he investigated the cases against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as CBI joint director. Switching his role from khaki to khaddar, he wants to live up to expectations of Pawan Kalyan.
The YSRCP, which is riding on Jagan Mohan Reddy’s popularity, fielded MVV Satyanarayana, a builder. Though he is also a political novice, he started campaign in the constituency almost six months ago since the party appointed him coordinator of the party.
Purandeswari had earlier won on Congress ticket from Visakhapatnam in 2009 and was the Union Minister of State for Commerce during the UPA regime. Later, she switched over to the BJP. One of her rival candidates Sri Bharat is the son-in-law of her actor-brother and Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna.
Purandeswari is focusing on development works initiated by her when she was MP and minister. She is also trying to highlight railway zone and projects sanctioned by the BJP government. People are unhappy as the Waltair division is done away with, and railway stations in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts are excluded. Many dismiss the new rail zone as nothing more than a poll gimmick.
In 2014 elections, the TDP-BJP alliance made a clean sweep winning all seven Assembly segments in the LS segment. However, political equations have undergone a sea change since then. The TDP parted ways with the BJP and the Jana Sena has jumped into the poll fray.