NELLORE: While the YSRC is not leaving no stone unturned to retain Nellore Lok Sabha seat in the ensuing elections, the TDP-JSP alliance is determined to win the seat, which is a bastion of the ruling party.
In fact, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, Rajya Sabha member, and YSRC district president, has revealed his intention to contest from Nellore. At the same time, the TDP-JSP alliance is searching for a strong candidate to wrest the seat from the YSRC. Adala Prabhakar Reddy of YSRC won the seat in 2019, and Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy in 2012 bypoll and 2014 general elections.
The erstwhile undivided Nellore has 10 Assembly segments and Nellore and Tirupati Lok Sabha constituencies. The YSRC made a clean sweep in the last elections by winning all the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats.
The present situation doesn’t seem to be easy for the ruling YSRC to make a clean sweep this time as part of its ‘Mission 175’ as three sitting MLAs had shifted their loyalties to the opposition TDP.
Prabhakar Reddy’s tenure as the Rajya Sabha member, is going to end by this month.
Hence, Prabhakar Reddy has started mobilising the support of the party rank and file by holding meetings at the grassroot lelvel.
He has already held meetings with the party cadre in Udayagiri, Kovur, Atmakur, Nellore city and rural segments to get their support.
“Prabhakar Reddy known for his philanthropic activities, will certainly get the support of the YSRC cadre if he is allotted Nellore Lok Sabha seat,” felt a senior leader.
Adala who unsuccessfully contested from Nellore Lok Sabha seat in 2014 against Mekapati, shifted his loyalties to the YSRC in 2019 and got elected as an MP from Nellore. The YSRC had appointed Adala as incharge of Nellore rural Assembly constituency.
In Nellore, majority of leaders hail from Reddy and Balija communities. Hence, caste equation plays a key role in selection of candidates for both the ruling and opposition parties. “The TDP is slowly gaining sympathy among the public in the district. The party rank and file are actively taking part in the TDP mass outreach programmes. Though the YSRC is banking on its welfare schemes to make a clean sweep, the people are looking for a change, which will certainly favour the TDP-JSP alliance in the ensuing elections,” opined a TDP leader.