VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada parliamentary constituency, which has strategic importance for the development of Andhra Pradesh as a whole, is in dire need of infrastructure development to address the increasing urban population, more so after State bifurcation.
One of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation, Vijayawada is urban and semi-urban in nature, and like any urban constituency, it is also facing infrastructure problems.
Now, sitting MP Kesineni Nani, who switched over to the YSRC, is facing his brother Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) of TDP in the electoral battle.
Vijayawada has seven Assembly segments — Vijayawada East, Vijayawada Central, Vijayawada West, and Mylavaram, which are urban, Jaggaiahpet and Nandiagama are semi-urban, and Tiruvuru has a rural character. It has a population of approximately 22,18,591 and the total electorate in the Lok Sabha constituency is 14,69,858.
Formed in 1952, the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat had Harindranath Chattopadhyay, an independent, as its first MP. He was the younger brother of freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. After him, it was represented by Dr Komarraju Atchamamba of Congress.
In the subsequent three elections, the Lok Sabha seat was represented by K Lakshmana Rao, G Murahari and Chennupati Vidya from the grand old party. Vadde Sobhanadreswara Rao became Vijayawada MP on TDP ticket for the first time in 1984 and again he represented the constituency in 1991.
Parvathaneni Upendra of Congress was elected twice from Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat, followed by Gadde Rammohan of TDP once, and Lagadapati Rajagopal of Congress twice. After him, Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) of TDP won in 2014 and 2019.
Speaking to TNIE, Ch Babu Rao of CPM, who is contesting Vijayawada Central Assembly seat, said the issue of Amaravati as the State capital will have a significant impact on the poll outcome.
“Besides sentiment, there is a hope for development and progress in the region. However, it was neglected, costing people of the region several opportunities,” he pointed out.
Prices of land, real estate business, and construction workers dependent on realty sector had suffered due to the lack of progress on the capital city issue, said Congress leader Kolanukonda Sivaji.
Another leader, not wishing to be named, said even after a decade of State bifurcation, there has been no infrastructure development in the State. “The Inner Ring Road is still under construction, road networks remain undeveloped, the metro rail and the proposed waterway has remained on the paper only,” he added.
A farmer leader pointed out that the Vijayawada parliamentary constituency has more upland area and falls under the ayacut of Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal.
“However, farmers suffer due to lack of proper irrigation facility. Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation scheme is yet to benefit farmers,” he said. It may be pointed out that there is no major industry in the Lok Sabha constituency, which was named after former CM NT Rama Rao after the district reorganisation.
Speaking to TNIE, Jandhyala Shankar, former mayor of Vijayawada, said though Vijayawada railway station is an important junction with over 300 trains and significant freight traffic, facilities at the station are anything to be boasted about. “There is not even a ramp,” he said.
Further, he pointed out that Vijayawada has no zoological park, though space is available at Kondapalli. “It will give a much-needed lung space and recreational zone for the people of the region,” he explained.
