GUNTUR : The political heat in Tadikonda, one of the prominent Assembly constituencies in Guntur district, is on the rise as both the YSRC and the TDP are determined to win the seat and intensified their election campaign.
In a surprising move, former minister Mekathoti Sucharitha, a three-time MLA from Prathipadu Assembly constituency, was fielded from Tadikonda by the YSRC, while former MLA Tenali Sravan Kumar was given ticket by the TDP.
Tadikonda, an SC reserved constituency, is of significant importance as it encompasses the capital city of Amaravati.
Since its inception in 1967, the Congress had a stronghold on the constituency, while the TDP also managed to win it in 1983, 1985, 1999 and 2014 elections.
After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the political picture entirely changed in the region as Amaravati was made the State capital during TDP regime.
But the capital agenda did not help the yellow party much in the 2019 elections as the YSRC had won Tadikonda and Mangalagiri Assembly segments with a huge majority.
However, soon after the Assembly elections, dissidence against former YSRC MLA Undavalli Sridevi started and the appointment of MLC Dokka Manikya Varaprasad Rao as regional coordinator of the party added fuel to the fire.
Eventually, Sridevi was suspended from the YSRC for resorting to cross voting in the MLC election and she joined the opposition TDP.
Dokka, who won as an MLA from the constituency two consecutive times earlier, expected to get the YSRC ticket. But, he was hugely disappointed with the party high command’s decision to field Sucharitha from Tadikonda.
After the YSRC announced the decision to set up three capitals as part of its plan to decentralise administration, Amaravati farmers, who gave their lands for the capital development and other sections in the region have been protesting against the YSRC government. While the YSRC is banking on its welfare schemes to win the Assembly seat, the TDP is highlighting the capital issue.