KADAPA: TDP is making all-out efforts to make inroads into Pulivendula Assembly constituency and wrest the seat from the grip of YSR family in the April 11 elections. Will it succeed? It is unlikely, but at the same time, poll observers say that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s vote share in his family bastion is likely to be reduced.
The reason: Prolonged absence of Jagan and his family from Pulivendula and lack of visible efforts in bringing pressure on the State government in completing Gandikota reservoir. At the same time, TDP candidate SV Satish Reddy has taken up agitations for Gandikota and succeeded in bringing Krishna water to Pulivendula.
Since its inception in 1955, Pulivendula, comprising of seven backward and drought-prone mandals, was represented by the Congress. Since 1978, when YS Rajasekhara Reddy become MLA for the first time, the constituency remained loyal to him and his family. YSR had lacked sufficient support from those in power till he became Chief Minister for the first time in 2004 and Pulivendula remained bereft of development. However, once YSR became Chief Minister, the fate of Pulivendula has changed and it witnessed all-around development in the next five years.
YSR was never shy in saying that his first preference is the development of Pulivendula. In education, health, irrigation sectors and infrastructure, Pulivendula was developed better than district headquarters, Kadapa. After setting up the Pulivendula Development Authority, hundreds of crores were pumped into Pulivendula to boost its development. But, after YSR’s demise in 2009, development of Pulivendula got stalled. One of the reason was Jagan parting ways with the Congress and floating YSRC. In last nine years, there has been no development and increasing dissatisfaction is visible among a section of voters in the constituency.
Taking advantage of it, Satish Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested against YSR and his son, started his agitation for Krishna water to Pulivendula. During Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Pulivendula in 2015, he raised the issue and vowed that he will not shave his beard till Krishna water reaches Pulivendula.
Though YSR was instrumental in completing 90 per cent of Gandikota works, Satish Reddy ensured that the balance 10 per cent works got completed and Gandikota received Krishna water. After that, the TDP took credit for the project. Recently, during an election rally, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu pointed out the same while requesting people of Pulivendula to give their mandate to the TDP. “There is a change in the attitude of people in Pulivendula.
They understood that it was the TDP which solved their water problem and not the YSR family. People starting seeing Jagan as an absentee landlord,” claims Satish Reddy. However, there are several hardcore YSR supporters. Brushing aside the claims of the TDP, YSRC leaders said people of Pulivendula and Kadapa district know that only with Jagan at the helm of affairs, development of Kadapa is possible. They also exuded confidence that Jagan’s victory margin will be increased.
Family bastion
Since its inception in 1955, Pulivendula Assembly constituency has largely remained a Congress party bastion. Penchikala Basi Reddy was the first legislator from Pulivendula. He served as MLA three times. The Congress represented the constituency in the Assembly 13 times while it was represented by YSRC twice and an independent candidate once. It would be better to say that Pulivendula is a bastion of YSR family than Congress as someone from the family is representing the segment since 1978. YSR represented it as MLA six times, while his brother YS Vivekananda Reddy represented it twice. YSR’s wife Vijayamma and son Jagan Mohan Reddy represented it twice.