ONGOLE: Kondepi, an SC reserved constituency, has drawn the attention of entire Prakasam district as the TDP and YSRC candidates are doctors.
Sitting TDP MLA Dr Sila Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy is seeking reelection from Kondepi. He is pitted against Dr Madasi Venkaiah of YSRC. Dr Swamy and Dr Venkaiah quit their medical officer posts and entered politics. Incidentally, both the candidates hail from agricultural families.
Kondepi was in general category up to 2009 and the fight was between tobacco and granite export tycoons. After the delimitation of constituencies, Kondepi was reserved for SCs. Even if it is reserved for SCs, the show is run by political bigwigs behind the scene. Both Congress and TDP won the Assembly seat thrice.
Dr Swamy resigned as Kondepi PHC medical officer in 2008 and contested the 2009 elections on TDP ticket. He was defeated by GV Seshu of Congress. He again contested on TDP ticket from Kondepi in the 2014 elections and won against Jupudi Prabhakara Rao of YSRC. He is in the electoral fray from Kondepi for the third time.
According to political circles, the family of former minister Damacharla Anjaneyulu is behind Dr Swamy. He belongs to Turupunaidupalem village in Tangutur mandal.
Dr Venkaiah is a native of Karumanchi village of the same mandal. He worked as a medical officer in Ulavapadu PHC. While working at RIMS in Ongole, he quit the government service, and entered politics to contest from Kondepi as YSRC candidate.
He is a famous surgeon in the district who got several awards for his meritorious service. He was also nominated for Padma Shri Award by the State government thrice.
Kondepi Assembly constituency is facing irrigation and drinking water problem. Most of the villages in the segment are dependent on water tankers for their drinking needs.
The drinking and irrigation needs of Kondepi can be met if water is drawn from Sangameswara project on Musi river at Chennipadu village in Ponnaluru mandal.
Though Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu promised to solve the water problem in Kondepi in 2018, no steps have been taken in this regard.
The main demand of people of the constituency is a permanent solution to the water problem.
Both TDP and YSRC candidates are said to be facing trouble from dissidents within their respective parties. According to political analysts, the winning chances of Dr Swamy and Dr Venkaiah are largely dependent on their commitment to solving the water problem in the constituency.
Dr Swamy exuded confidence of retaining the seat as the development programmes and welfare schemes implemented by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would certainly fetch him votes in the elections. He promised to strive for execution of Sangameswara project and extension of Veligonda project right canal.
Dr Venkaiah is also confident of his victory in the elections. He opined that people would reject TDP for its ‘failure’ to fulfil its election promises during its five year rule.