KAKINADA: The YSRC leadership is likely to field new faces in at least three Assembly constituencies in Kakinada district as the sitting MLAs of Prathipadu, Pithapuram and Jaggampeta are said to be under the scanner.
After reorganisation, the new district has seven Assembly segments, including Tuni, Prathipadu, Pithapuram, Peddapuram, Jaggampeta, Kakinada Rural and Kakinada City, besides Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency. Of the seven Assembly segments, Tuni, Prathipadu, Pithapuram, Jaggampeta, Kakinada Rural and Kakinada City are represented by the ruling YSRC.
Former TDP minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa won the remaining Peddapuram segment in the elections in 2019. The sitting legislators of Prathipadu, Pithapuram and Jaggampeta are said to be unable to strike a chord with the second rung leaders, which led to groupism in the three constituencies. The YSRC leadership is of the view that any discord among the party rank and file may mar the prospect of making a clean sweep in the erstwhile twin Godavari districts in the ensuing elections as per ‘Mission 175’.
Prathipadu MLA Parvatha Purna Chandra Prasad is said to be facing opposition from a senior YSRC leader, who is close to the YSRC high command. On the other hand, TDP Prathipadu incharge Varupula Satya Prabha is leaving no stone unturned to gain hold in the constituency, which is said to be giving jitters to the YSRC leadership.
Pithapuram MLA Pendem Dorababu is facing allegations of showing caste discrimination towards the party rank and file. A sarpanch had quit the YSRC as he could not gel with the legislator. The MLA is also facing criticism from the local people as house sites to the poor under Navaratnalu - Pedalanariki Illu scheme have been allotted in low-lying areas of the constituency against the wishes of beneficiaries, a political analyst observed.
As Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Chanti Babu has become inactive, some one from his family is likely to contest Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency, sources said.The YSRC is likely to replace the sitting Prathipadu MLA with Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham’s son Giribabu. Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha is likely to contest from Pithapuram and Thota Narasimham from Jaggampeta.Former minister Kurasala Kannababu may be asked to make way for BC Welfare Minister Chelluboina Venugopala Srinivasa Krishna from Kakinada Rural, sources added.
However, Kannababu has dismissed the possible change of YSRC candidates as a rumour spread by the opposition TDP. “Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked MLAs and constituency incharges to reach out to every household and give wide publicity to the development programmes and welfare schemes of the YSRC government. There is no word from Jagan on replacing a few candidates in the district in the next elections,” he asserted.
TDP Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency incharge Jyothula Naveen said, “We are taking aggressively our party’s mini-manifesto to the people. The TDP is set to put up a good show in the ensuing elections in the erstwhile Godavari districts.”