ONGOLE : The YSRC and the TDP-JSP-BJP troika are sharpening their strategies to gain an upper hand in the Assembly constituencies in the district.
The latest weapon they have added to their armoury is to campaign against the non-local candidates of the rival party.
Darsi YSRC contestant and former MLA Buchepalli Siva Prasad Reddy, Giddalur TDP contestant Muttumula Ashok Reddy, and Kondepi sitting MLA and TDP contestant DSBV Swamy are raising the heat in the campaign by raking up ‘non-locals’ issue.
In the Darsi Assembly constituency, the TDP is fielding Dr Gottipati Lakshmi, a practising doctor from Narasaraopet in Palnadu district. She is new to the segment as her parents are from the Marturu segment and her husband and his parents are from Narasaraopet.
Dr Lakshmi’s father Gottipati Narasaiah and grandfather Gottipati Hanumantha Rao were elected as MLAs and her paternal uncle Gottipati Ravi Kumar is the sitting MLA from Addanki. Dr Lakshmi believes in the cadres of TDP-BJP-JSP to help her win in the election.
Dr Buchepalli Sivaprasad Reddy comes from the Buchepalli political family from Darsi constituency from where his father Buchepalli Subba Reddy won the election to the Assembly earlier.
His mother Buchepalli Venkayamma is present Zilla Parishad Chairperson. Dr Siva Prasad Reddy also worked as an MLA of Darsi in the 13th Assembly. Now, Buchepalli supporters are bringing the ‘Local Leadership’ sentiment. They are seeking voters to support the local leader who will be available to them round-the-clock.
On the other hand, the supporters of the Giddalur TDP candidate and former MLA Muthumula Ashok Reddy, are coming down heavily on the ruling YSRC candidate Kunduru Nagarjuna Reddy, who is a migrant and also a non-local candidate. The YSRC high command has swapped the constituencies of Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu and Markapur MLA Nagarjuna Reddy. Taking advantage of this, the TDP is alleging that the YSRC fielded a non-local candidate. He was shifted from the neighbouring Markapur constituency.
The YSRC high command has swapped the constituencies of Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu and Markapur MLA Nagarjuna Reddy. Taking advantage of this, the TDP and its alliance partners are alleging that the YSRC fielded a non-local candidate in Giddalur.
Similarly, in the Kondapi (SC), TDP candidate and sitting MLA DSBV Swamy is from Turpu Naidupalem village in the same constituency and is now trying to score a hat-trick.