KURNOOL: The ruling YSRC has set its sights on securing a hat-trick victory in the Kurnool Assembly constituency, while the Opposition TDP, which is contesting the elections in an alliance with the Jana Sena and the BJP, is pulling all stops to romp home.
With 39 wards for a total 52 municipal council wards, the constituency is currently represented by YSRC leader Abdul Hafeez Khan. However, the ruling party has decided to drop Khan and field retired IAS officer A Md Imtiaz for the ensuing elections. On the other hand, the TDP has nominated TG Bharath, the young industrialist son of former Rajya Sabha MP and two-time Kurnool MLA TG Venkatesh, for the second consecutive time.
The unkept promise of establishing Kurnool as the judicial capital of the State, drinking water and traffic problems, failure to construct flood retention wall and underground drainage system are some of the key issues that are likely to sway the poll outcome.
Besides the lack of safe water for the citizens, the construction of a flood retention wall to protect the city from the water of Handri and Tungabhadra Rivers has been a pipe dream for the denizens for almost 15 years.
“The government has no proper plans to clear the traffic in the district headquarters. Daily commuters have been facing severe issues due to congestion. The narrow roads test the patience of the people. Auto and vending carts along the roads have added to the citizens’ woes. The main roads should be widened as per the people’s needs, but the same has not been done. Non-availability of city bus services has further aggravated the problem,” Pulipati Jagan, an advocate, expressed.
Elaborating on the water problems, K Lakshmi of Kothapeta sought to know how can residents manage if water is supplied for less than three hours a day during the summers. We have been forced to spend Rs 20 per tin of water for our daily needs. No political leader has focussed on trying to find a permanent solution to the drinking water problem. They are only interested in vote bank politics,” she rued.
Another important issue that can influence the final verdict in the constituency is caste equations.
With Muslims steadily moving away from Congress, the traditional vote bank is likely to split. The YSRC has fielded a candidate from the Muslim community, and the Congress is also likely to nominate a Muslim leader. On the other hand, the TDP has roped in Bharath who hails from the Vysya community.
With elections fast approaching, the candidates have intensified their poll campaigns.
Although new to electoral politics, Imtiaz has assured people that his experience as a bureaucrat will help him in developing the region.
He has been highlighting the ruling party’s Navarathnalu and other welfare schemes to seek public mandate.
Bharath, too, has launched door-to-door campaigns, where he has been taking public feedback on the schemes and asking them about their problems. Explaining about his poll campaign, Bharat said he has been telling people about TDP’s promises.
“I also remind people of the works that were undertaken when my father was the MLA, he added.