VIJAYAWADA : Two unbeaten politicians are all set to fight it out for Bheemili Assembly constituency. While the ruling YSRC has roped in Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as ‘Avanthi’ Srinivas because of Avanthi Educational Institutions he runs, the TDP has fielded Ganta Srinivasa Rao from the segment.
Interestingly, Ganta is known to be Avanthi’s political guru. Besides belonging to the same Kapu community, they both have served as legislators, MPs as well as ministers. Incidentally, neither of them belong to North Coastal Andhra, but have played an active role in the politics of the region.
While Ganta served as a minister in N Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet, Avanthi was a minister in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet. Ganta, a native of Prakasam district, entered politics in 1999. He was elected from Anakapalle Lok Sabha segment on TDP ticket. In 2004, he switched over to Chodavaram Assembly seat and won.
When actor Konidela Chiranjeevi launched the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), Ganta was among several leaders from the Kapu community who joined it. It was on Ganta’s encouragement that Avanthi, who hails from Eluru, forayed into politics and made a successful debut from Bheemili in 2009.
With Avanthi contesting from Bheemili, Ganta shifted to Anakapalle Assembly seat, and both of them secured victories. After the PRP was merged with the Congress, the duo joined the TDP. Ganta contested Bheemili Assembly segment, while Avanthi was fielded from Anakapalle Lok Sabha seat. “Both the leaders used to maintain ‘guru-shishya’ relation in politics. As they hail from the same community, they used to gel well,” a senior politician recalled.
In 2019, Avanthi was keen on contesting from Bheemili. However, at that time, the TDP leadership was mulling over launching party general secretary Nara Lokesh’s electoral debut from the segment as it considered it a safe seat. With the TDP delaying the announcement to finalise a candidate for Bheemili, the YSRC capitalised on the situation and managed to induct Avanthi into the party. “The YSRC was weak in Visakhapatnam. None other than YS Vijayamma (former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s wife) was defeated in the segment. So, the party looked towards Avanthi, and offered him Bheemili,” the senior politician said.
Meanwhile, Ganta shifted to Visakhapatnam North Assembly seat in 2019 and won from there. With the TDP, JSP and BJP forging an alliance, Vizag North has been allotted to the saffron party. Former MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju will be contesting the seat this time.
Although the yellow party had considered to field Ganta from Cheepurapalli to take on State Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, the former refused. Subsequently, he was allotted Bheemili.