GUNTUR : With the battle lines drawn for the upcoming elections, a fierce fight is unfolding in the Sattenapalli Assembly constituency between the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP. With a strategy to impact voters belonging to Kapu community, not only in the constituency but across the State, both parties fielded leaders—Ambati Rambabu (YSRC) and Kanna Lakshminarayana (TDP)—from the community which is a rare occurrence since the inception of the constituency in 1952. While YSRC is confident of retaining this prominent segment, TDP is strategising to wrest the seat from the ruling party.
Sattenapalli is one of the seven Assembly constituencies in Palnadu district and comprises four mandals, including Sattenapalli, Rajupalem, Nekarikallu and Muppalla. Since its inception, Congress party has had a stronghold in the area and won as many as five times, while TDP and CPI(M) secured the segment three times each.
The political picture in the region changed after the 2009 elections, as Kodela Siva Prasad, five times MLA from Narasaraopet constituency, shifted his base to Sattenapalli after losing in the 2009 elections.
Though belonging to the Kamma community he managed to grab the Congress vote bank in the region, where the majority of voters are from the Kapu community, and defeated YSRC leader Ambati Ramababu with a slight margin of 924 votes. However, Ambati managed to establish a strong party cadre at ground level in the next five years and won the 2019 elections against Kodela with a huge majority. He was later given a ministry in the cabinet reshuffle in April 2022.
The death of former TDP minister and speaker Kodela Siva Prasad came as a huge loss to TDP, as no other leader was able to fill the gap which has affected local TDP workers badly. TDP high command has appointed Kapu leader Kanna Lakshminarayana as Sattenapalli constituency incharge. Following this, JSP leader Yarram Venkateswarareddy, who contested in 2019 elections and lost, joined YSRC and has been actively conducting door-to-door campaigns fiercely alongside Ambati.
Following the alliance with JSP and BJP, and the newly formed truce between Kanna and Kodela Siva Ram, who expected to get TDP ticket in 2024 elections but failed, the yellow party leaders are confident of its victory, though Shiva Ram has been distant from any party meetings and programmes.
On the other hand, YSRC is pitching transparent deliverance of welfare schemes worth `1,700 crore and the development works worth `400 crore completed in the last five years, including construction of roads, renovation and upgradation of 100 bedded area hospital, set up of primary and urban health centres and urbanisation, while TDP is promising to implement Super-6 successfully after they come to power. Meanwhile, the public expressed various opinions about which party will come to power in the next elections.
“Though I have supported TDP for several years, fielding Kanna as TDP candidate, who changed three parties and humiliated Chandrababu Naidu in several instances, is not acceptable,” opined K Ramarao, a resident of the constituency.
Another resident T Supraja said that she had supported YSRC as several projects including construction of the stadium, CC roads had been pending in TDP rule. However, the problems remained unsolved, she added and highlighted insufficient water supply as another major issue. During elections, politicians make several promises to address long pending issues, but fulfil only a few, she added.
Sharing his perspective, Lakkaraju, an auto driver said, “My family has benefited from schemes implemented by the YSRC government, especially, my children are getting quality education in government school. I don’t care if Ambati is contesting or another person, I’ll vote for Jagan without fail.”
On the other hand, a farmer who wished not to be named said that YSRC has delivered welfare schemes well, but ignored development in the constituency, especially in rural regions. Despite the privileges received, the farmers are ready to support the TDP and Nara Chandrababu Naidu, he expressed.