NELLORE : Amidst the savory aroma of Nellore’s renowned ‘Chepala Pulusu’, a fierce political showdown unfolds in the Lok Sabha constituency.
As the countdown to polling day on May 13 nears, the political temperature is soaring in the constituency with two heavyweights, TDP’s Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and YSRC’s Venumbaka Vijayasai Reddy, locked in a fierce battle.
Despite their two-decade-long presence in the State politics, Vemireddy and Vijayasai Reddy are making their debut in the battle for ballots. Vemireddy is a former Rajya Sabha member, while Vijayasai Reddy, is serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Vemireddy took an early lead, kicking off his election campaign ahead of others with various outreach programmes in the constituency. He has been nursing his constituency even when he was in the YSRC.
However, amidst a series of political developments, Vemireddy, along with his wife and former TTD Board member Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy, joined the TDP. Prashanthi Reddy, is contesting from Kovur Assembly segment, which is a part of Nellore parliamentary constituency.
“To make Nellore parliamentary constituency a role model for others, I envision implementing various development programmes, leveraging the area’s vast resources and expansive coastal region. These programmes will create employment opportunities for the youth. Given Nellore’s strategic location as a gateway to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, investing in infrastructure and facilities will catalyze development,” said Vemireddy.
“Plans include establishing a special office in Nellore City, dedicated to serving constituents and ensuring accountability. Regardless of my location as an MP, my commitment to service remains unwavering. Focusing on the district’s interests, I will advocate for vital projects such as national highways, bridges, and beautification of beaches, securing funds through parliamentary efforts,” he said.
However, political analysts are surprised when the ruling YSRC appointed Vijayasai Reddy as the Nellore Lok Sabha segment incharge and subsequently nominated him to contest from this seat. Vijayasai Reddy, however, is confident of winning the election.
He said, “Completing the Somasila High-Level Canal on a war-footing to provide irrigation water to one lakh acres and drinking water to 2.5 lakh people and setting up 40 mega godowns with a storage capacity of one lakh tonnes through public-private partnership are his priorities. I am aiming to strengthen Nellore’s economic ecosystem in the next five years to provide higher income to farmers, farm labourers, traders, and those involved in the transportation system. Building a world-class sports complex at Mogallapalli near Nellore City at a cost of `250 crore in 150 acres and sponsoring foreign education for 100 economically disadvantaged students are also my promises.”
With the Congress nominating former Nellore Collector Koppula Raju as its candidate, it may pose a challenge to the ruling YSRC’s prospects in the area. While the Congress may not be a strong contender for victory, its presence could potentially impact the chances of the YSRC. Following the State’s bifurcation, the Congress witnessed a significant decline in its voting percentage, dropping to 1.42% in 2014 and further to 0.78% in 2019, which was even lower than the NOTA option at 1.33%.
The YSRC largely absorbed the Congress’ voter base in the previous elections, and a similar scenario was expected in 2024. However, the selection of Koppula Raju with a positive reputation as the Congress candidate for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat is seen as a strategic move. Historically, the TDP has won Nellore Lok Sabha seat twice, with Puchalapalli Penchalaiah securing victory in 1984 and Vukkala Rajeswaramma in 1999. However, it faced defeat on six occasions, notably in 2009 when TDP nominee Vanteru Venugopal Reddy lost to Congress candidate Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy by a margin of 54,993 votes.
In subsequent elections, the TDP faced defeats in 2012, 2014 and 2019, with YSRC candidates emerging victorious. In 2012, YSRC nominee Rajamohan Reddy secured a substantial margin of victory over TDP candidate Venugopala Reddy. Similarly, in 2014, YSRC’s Rajamohan Reddy narrowly defeated TDP’s Adala Prabhakara Reddy. In 2019, YSRC’s Prabhakara Reddy defeated TDP’s Beeda Masthan Rao by a significant margin.The YSRC’s success in the 2014 and 2019 elections was attributed to the sympathy factor for former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and the popularity of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. However, the TDP believes that the political landscape has changed since the previous elections, with growing dissatisfaction among the populace towards the governance of the YSRC, leading to anti-incumbency sentiments in the State.
Vemireddy’s presence has bolstered the TDP’s strength in Nellore City, Nellore Rural, Udayagiri, Kavali and Kandukur Assembly segments.
Additionally, the presence of the Congress in the fray could potentially split votes, further benefiting the TDP. While the YSRC swept the last general elections in Nellore in 2019 by winning all 10 Assembly seats, the elections pose a challenge to the ruling party. Anti-incumbency sentiments against the ruling party legislators, coupled with internal discord, are emerging as significant concerns affecting their electoral prospects.
Nellore district predominantly comprises leaders from Reddy and Kapu (Balija locally) communities. The Somasila reservoir, situated across the river Penna near Somasila village in Ananthasagaram mandal of Atmakur segment has the capacity to receive water by gravity from Srisailam reservoir, making it one of the largest reservoirs in the Penna river basin. Despite this potential, farmers in the region faced irrigation water scarcity during the last season.
The Somasila High-Level canal project, intended to supply irrigation water from the Somasila reservoir, remains pending, with no significant progress in execution in recent years. This canal is crucial for meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people in several upland mandals in Atmakur and Udayagiri Assembly segments.
“The High-Level Canal caters to the needs of irrigation and drinking water for more than three upland mandals of Atmakur and Udayagiri segments. Both TDP and YSRC have neglected the completion of this crucial project in the region,” said KN Swamy, a farmer from Marripadu.
Problems galore in upland mandals
Farmers in Marripadu and Atmakur mandals, which are major tobacco-producing areas in Atmakur Assembly constituency, face challenges due to drought conditions. People of drought-prone areas in Udayagiri segment, including Vinjamur, Duttalur, Seetharamapuram, Kaligiri, Jaladanki and Varikuntapadu mandals, struggle to access drinking water with no concrete proposals to address the issue. However, Juvvaladinne fishing harbour is all set to cater the needs of fishermen