RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Polavaram Assembly constituency in Eluru district is set to witness an intense battle of the ballot. Interestingly, voters from the Kapu, Kamma and OBC communities will decide the fate of the candidates contesting the ST-reserved constituency.
While the ruling YSRC has fielded sitting MLA Tellam Balaraju’s wife Tellam Rajyalakshmi, the Jana Sena, which is contesting the elections in an alliance with the TDP and BJP, has roped in Chirri Balaraju. Although Balaraju has won the seat in 2004, 2009 and 2019, the YSRC has nominated his wife to fight anti-incumbency.
Famous for Papikondalu boat tourism and island shrine Pattiseema temple in the River Godavari, Polavaram has been a part of the political discourse for the past 75 years. Polavaram villagers, who live in constant fear of submergence due to the annual floods, have time and again raised concerns over the lack of development in the region. The Polavaram irrigation project is another pain point with as many as 5.5 lakh people in 374 villagers in Eluru and Alluri Sitarama Raju districts being affected. As many as 23 villages in Polavaram mandal were vacated and villagers were shifted to R & R colonies.
For displaced persons from Velerupadu and Kukkunur mandal, R & R colonies were constructed near Jangareddygudem town, which comes under the purview of Chinthalapudi Assembly segment.
The long-pending demand for a 100-bed hospital and degree college remain on paper. The residents have rued the lack of a proper cremation centre or burial ground. They are forced to take the bodies to Kovvur, Vegeswarapuram or Rajamahendravram for performing last rights. Although Polavaram village is just 30 km from Rajamahendravaram, it comes under purview of Eluru district. Polavaram Assembly Constituency comprises seven mandals: Polavaram, T Narasapuram, Butteyagudem, Jeelugumilli, Koyyalagudem, Velerupadu and Kukunoor. Tribals are spread across Butteyagudem, Koyyalagudem, Velerupadu, Kukunoor, and Polavaram. Velerupadu and Kukunoor mandals were merged into Polavaram constituency after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
While tribals are a majority with nearly 1.25 lakh voters, Kapus, Kammas, and OBC communities together account for around one lakh voters.