ONGOLE: The ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP have laid emphasis on winning four key Assembly constituencies of the erstwhile combined Prakasam district in the 2024 elections. They include Chirala, Addanki, Paruchur and Kondepi Assembly segments.
Leaders of both the parties are busy evolving strategies to win the key constituencies in the next elections. Encouraging field level leaders to shift their loyalties seems to be part of the strategy of the YSRC and TDP to weaken their political rivals in the four segments. However, all the sitting MLAs are determined to retain their seats in the upcoming elections by holding their sway over the constituencies through the mass outreach programmes. Interestingly, all the four Assembly segments were won by the TDP in the last elections.
Of the total 12 Assembly segments, the YSRC won eight and the TDP four in 2019. Though Kondepi, Puruchur, Chirala and Addanki segments were won by the TDP, Chirala MLA and senior TDP leader Karanam Balaram Krishna Murthy shifted his loyalties to the ruling YCRC. His son and political heir Karanam Venkatesh had become the YSRC incharge of Chirala segment. Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Yeluri Sambasiva Rao and Gottipati Ravikumar, MLAs of Kondepi, Paruchur and Addanki respectively, are considered as strong leaders for the TDP.
Caste politics is likely to play a key role in the election outcome in the three segments. In Prakasam, both the YSRC and TDP have strong vote banks.YCRC regional coordinators Beeda Masthan Rao and Bhumana Karunakara Reddy who attended the party meetings in Chirala, Paruchur, Ongole and Addanki segments recently, reviewed the political scenario. They announced that Balaram and Bachina Krishna Chaitanya would be the party candidates for Chirala and Addanki constituencies in the next elections.
Former MLA and YSRC leader Amanchi Krishna Mohan, who has a strong following in Chirala, was appointed the YSRC incharge of Paruchur constituency. In the last elections, Amanchi lost to Karanam. It may be mentioned here that up to her re-selection for the MLC post, YSRC women’s wing president Pothula Sunitha was also considered as a strong contestant for Chirala seat. Now, Balaram is the only probable YSRC candidate for Chirala as Amanchi, a rival of the sitting MLA, was made incharge of Paruchur and Sunitha was selected for the MLC seat.
As Karanam has considerable hold in Paruchur and Addanki, it is doubtful whether his followers support Amanchi and Bachina Chaitanya if the party leadership decides to field them as its candidates for the two seats in the next elections, which embarked on a mission to win all the 175 seats in the State.
Coming to Kondepi segment, sitting MLA DSBV Anjaneyulu is a strong candidate for the opposition
TDP. On the opposite side, YSRC leader Madasi Venkaiah functioned as the party incharge of the constituency till recently. The present incharge Varikuti Ashok reportedly has differences with some of the mandal level leaders in the constituency.
Pointing out the same at the at the recent party meeting, former minister and YSRC regional coordinator Balineni Srinivasa Reddy advised Ashok to take everyone into confidence and strive to achieve 175 out of 175 Assembly seats in the next Assembly elections. The YSRC is confident of making a clean sweep in the district in the next elections, while the TDP is determined to retain the four key constituencies, besides regaining its lost glory.
YSRC won eight of total 12 in last elections
Of the total 12 Assembly segments in Prakasam district, the YSRC won eight and the TDP four in the last elections. All the four key constituencies of Chirala, Addanki, Paruchur and Kondepi were won by the TDP. Later, Chirala MLA and senior TDP leader Karanam Balaram Krishna Murthy shifted his loyalties to the YCRC