GUNTUR: The political heat in Bapatla Assembly constituency is on the rise as both the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP have intensified their campaigns to reach out to the people well ahead of the ensuing elections.
Bapatla segment had been a bastion of the Congress since its inception in 1952 with majority of voters belonging to the Reddy community. However, the YSRC succeeded in grabbing the Congress vote bank as the sitting MLA and former Deputy Assembly Speaker Kona Raghupathi won from Bapatla twice in 2014 and 2019. The Kona family has a stronghold on the segment as his father Kona Prabhakar Rao was elected as an MLA from Bapatla thrice in 1967, 1972 and 1978.
Former MLC Annam Satish Prabhakar, a strong leader in the region, quit TDP after losing the Assembly elections twice in 2014 and 2019, and joined the BJP, which came as a big blow to the party cadre. Later, the TDP leadership had appointed industrialist Vegesana Narendra Varma as Bapatla segment incharge. He is likely to get the TDP ticket in the ensuing elections.
The formation of Bapatla district by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government is likely to favour the ruling YSRC as it was a long cherished demand of people of the constituency. The construction of a bypass road, and setting up of a medical college and a 500-bed government hospital will largely help urbanise Bapatla town.
On the other hand, the TDP has started attacking the sitting MLA with serious corruption charges. Narendra Varma has taken up several programmes to strengthen the party cadre at the grassroots level and enhance his image as a strong leader. However, it seems to be doubtful whether he is able to win the mandate of the electorate or not.
Meanwhile, Kona is said to be facing stiff opposition from his own party. It is learnt that former minister Gade Venkata Reddy is trying to bring his heir Madhusudhan Reddy into the limelight by mobilising the support of his community.
According to sources, several aspirants from the Reddy community have started making moves to get the YSRC ticket in the ensuing elections. However, Samajika Sadhikara Bus Yatra held by Kona in Bapatla has received a good response.
Despite some disadvantages, the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP have started evolving their own strategies to win Bapatla seat in the forthcoming elections. In the wake of TDP and Jana Sena Party alliance, the electoral battle may not be one-sided in 2024 like the last election as the YSRC candidate won the seat with a majority of over 15,000 votes, observed a political analyst.