VIJAYAWADA: Irrigation water and remunerative prices for the crops have been a constant worry for the farmers of the upland areas of Jaggaiahpet in Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency (NTR district) to Sullurpeta in Tirupati Lok Sabha segment (Tirupati district). Development and employment opportunities are what the youth of the Krishna Delta and Southern coastal districts of the State seek. Steep rise in the prices of essential commodities and increasing crimes against them are what concern the women.
All these issues will be in the minds of the electorate of these eight Lok Sabha constituencies -- Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Guntur, Narasaraopet, Bapatla, Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati -- consisting of 56 Assembly segments when the State goes to polls on Monday.
Caste equations will have a definite impact on the poll outcome and for that very reason, the political parties and candidates have been trying to woo the people of these communities in different ways. Backward Classes constitute a majority of population in these eight Lok Sabha seats, followed by SCs, OCs and minorities, while STs are less in these 56 Assembly segments. BC vote will be the determinant factor in the poll outcome.
Though the Krishna River flows through Vijayawada and Machilpatnam Parliamentary constituencies, farmers of the region are unable to get any advantage. Tail-end mandals along the Krishna and its canals are facing drinking water scarcity. Upland farmers of Jaggaiahpet and other parts of NTR district are unable to get water for irrigation, following the dispute over Krishna water sharing between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
“There is water in Nagarjuna Sagar and we are entitled to get water through the NSP Left Canal. However, the disparity in the placement of indents in time for water and the release of water has been creating problems for us. On the Telangana side of the border in our Jaggaiahpet region, you can observe lush green crops, but on the Andhra side, you will find parched land,” pointed out Nageswara Rao, a farmer of Jaggaiahpet.
If irrigation water is a concern for the farmers, lack of employment opportunities is the worry of the youth. Vinay, an 18-year-old from Kethanakonda in Ibrahimpatnam mandal of NTR district, getting ready to cast his vote for the first time told TNIE that he is looking for better education and employment opportunities. Infrastructure development is the desire of not just the people of Vijayawada, but also of Machilipatnam, where a sea port is under construction. Once the infrastructure project takes shape, it creates a lot of direct and indirect employment. Most importantly, the capital city Amaravati issue will play a significant role in determining the outcome of Vijayawada Lok Sabha segment.
In 2019, the Lok Sabha seat was bagged by the TDP, but six of the seven Assembly segments went to the YSRC. Now, sitting MP of Vijayawada, Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) shifted his loyalties to the YSRC, and Mylavaram sitting MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad jumped the ship to the TDP and entered the poll fray.
When the situation in Guntur Lok Sabha constituency and its seven Assembly segments is analysed, TDP MP candidate Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar like his predecessor Galla Jayadev is a businessman. He has targeted urban and rural sections with a promise of change. On the other hand, YSRC candidate Kilari Rosaiah has laid emphasis on rural segments banking on CM YS Jagan’s welfare schemes.
Due to the capital issue, the anti-incumbency factor is pronounced in Mangalagiri and Tadikonda segments and the TDP is likely to have an advantage. Though TDP candidate Tenali Sravan Kumar is not as strong as YSRC nominee M Sucharita, the capital issue may affect the winning chances of the ruling party.
While TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh is a strong contestant in Mangalagiri, BCs, particularly the weaver community may have the final say in the election outcome.
A close contest is expected between Lokesh and Murugudu Lavanya of YSRC, who belongs to the weavers community.
In Tenali, Nadendla Manohar and Sivakumar both being Kammas, BCs being with the YSRC and lack of coordination between the JSP and the TDP may have an impact on Manohar’s chances. The winning chances of Sheikh Noori Fathima of YSRC seem to be high in Guntur East. However, Pemmasani is paying special attention, and trying to sway YSRC local leaders to join the TDP to bag the seat. In Guntur West, Kammas and BCs are high in number and determine the poll outcome.
In Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency, the Yadava community with a population of over 1.20 lakh is going to play a significant role. The community that has been with the TDP all these years, is likely to support YSRC’s Anil Kumar Yadav.
Meanwhile, sitting MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, who is in the fray on TDP ticket, has also earned good fame in the past five years in the constituency. However, his coordination with the MLA candidates may be a problem. In Pedakurapadu, Narasaraopet, Gurazala, Vinukonda and Macherla Assembly segments, a close contest is expected with the YSRC having slight edge. Replacement of some of the sitting MLAs is likely to impact the chances of YSRC.
“Not even a single leader, irrespective of parties, managed to resolve the drinking water problem. But Kasu Mahesh Reddy, within 18 months after becoming an MLA, got the water scheme executed,” K Raghavulu of Piduguralla expressed.
Bapatla Lok Sabha constituency is witnessing a strong anti-incumbency due to the lack of any major development programmes in the last five years. Sitting YSRC MP Nandigam Suresh is facing strong opposition and he is contesting against a newcomer T Krishna Prasad of TDP, who has a clean image.
Ongole Parliamentary constituency has around 80.5% of the population living in rural areas and the remaining 19.5% in the nine urban localities. As regards the community-wise population, SCs constitute of around 25%, STs 5% and BCs 45%. The outcome depends on vote bank of BCs and SCs. Of the total seven Assembly segments, two are reserved for SCs. The YSRC has fielded BC (Yadava), a Vysya and three Reddy candidates, while the NDA has allotted tickets to two Kamma and three Reddy candidates. Employees, and social welfare scheme beneficiaries are likely to play a key role in determining the fortunes of contenders.
Though the YSRC had swept the last general elections in Nellore, winning all the 10 Assembly and two Lok Sabha (Nellore and Tirupati) seats, the situation seems to be different now. Anti-incumbency against the ruling YSRC legislators and internal bickerings seem to be a worrying factor that will affect its winning chances.
Somasila issue may sway mandate in Nellore
In Nellore, the majority of leaders are from the Reddy and Kapu (Balija locally) communities. The Somasila High-Level Canal project, which aimed to supply irrigation water from the Somasila reservoir, is still pending, and there has been no major progress in the execution of works in the recent past. “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 the TDP and YSRC have neglected the completion of the crucial canal project,” rued KN Swamy, a farmer from Marripadu
(With inputs from Bandhavi Annam from Guntur, IVNP Prasad Babu from Ongole and D Surendra Kumar from Nellore)