KADAPA: Both the ruling YSRC and the NDA have announced their candidates for all the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats, igniting a flurry of political activity in the erstwhile undivided Kadapa district. As denial of tickets has resulted in disgruntlement among aspirants, leaders of both the parties have initiated efforts pacify dissidents. Some of prominent leaders have distanced themselves from party activities, while some others have shifted their loyalties.
Confidence seems to be high in the ruling YSRC as it banks on welfare schemes and development programmes of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government to win people’s trust.
The TDP-JSP-BJP combine is hopeful that the non-split in anti-incumbency vote will benefit it largely in the elections.
The Kadapa district comprises 10 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. The YSRC aims to make a clean sweep. The TDP, JSP and BJP have fielded candidates in their allotted seats.
Kadapa Lok Sabha set is set to witness a tough contest. Sitting YSRC MP YS Avinash Reddy is hopeful of a third consecutive win from Kadapa. The TDP has fielded C Bhupesh Reddy against him. In Rajampet Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP has fielded former CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy against P Mithun Reddy of YSRC.
In the Assembly elections, Deputy Chief Minister SB Amzath Basha aims for a third consecutive win from Kadapa. However, he is challenged by R Madhavi Reddy, TDP Politburo member.
In Mydukur, S Raghurami Reddy seeks a third consecutive victory, while the TDP is hopeful of a comeback as it has fielded Putta Sudhakar Yadav. In Proddatur, sitting YSRC MLA Rachamallu Siva Prasad Reddy is facing N Varadarajulu Reddy of TDP. He is hopeful of a third consecutive victory. In Jammalamadugu, sitting YSRC MLA M Sudhir Reddy seeks re-election with the support of former minister P Ramasubba Reddy. However, former minister C Adinarayana Reddy’s entry into the poll fray as a BJP candidate adds a new dimension to the contest.
Kamalapuram constituency set witness a face-off between YSRC’s P Ravindranath Reddy and TDP’s P Chaitanya Reddy, son of former MLA P Narasimha Reddy. In Badvel, sitting YSRC MLA D Sudha is facing Bojja Rosanna of BJP. In Railway Kodur, sitting YSRC MLA K Sreenivasulu seeks re-election amidst stiff competition from Jana Sena’s Yanamala Bhaskar Rao. With new alliances, disgruntlement and strategic manoeuvres at play, the electoral battle in Kadapa district is set to be fierce, observed a political analyst.