VIJAYAWADA: The foremost port city and administrative centre of Krishna district, Machilipatnam Assembly constituency is gearing up to witness a fierce poll battle between 27-year-old YSRC candidate Perni Vaka Sai Krishna Murthy (Kittu), son of incumbent MLA and former Minister Perni Venkatramaiah (Nani), and 52-year-old TDP candidate and former minister Kollu Ravindra.
Though the segment is popular because of its rich historical background which was dominated by the Dutch, French and British, some enduring challenges have been persisting for decades. These include the unchanged urban design dating back to the British era, the underdevelopment of the city situated below sea level, and the significant increase in population.
Pointing out the dysfunctional drainage system in the constituency, the residents complain that even a minor rainfall in Machilipatnam city is resulting in choking roads with knee-deep rain water for hours.
Speaking about the drinking water problem in the city, Venkata Narsamma, a resident of Pothepalli, told TNIE that despite the initiation of eight reservoir projects during the previous government, they are yet to be made accessible to the public. Currently, only one reservoir at Tharakatur is providing drinking water to the residents of the Machilipatnam constituency, as well as those of the Pedana constituency. However, locals contend that this supply is insufficient.
B Subrahmanyam, from Chilakalapudi emphasised that the construction of Bandar Port has been a longstanding aspiration of the residents. The people hope that the establishment of this port will alleviate job scarcity for future generations, he added and said, “However, for decades, this dream has remained elusive. The former CM Chandrababu Naidu, hastily laid the foundation stone of the port during previous elections, without addressing the port’s development during their five-year tenure.”
It is to be noted that when Jagan came to power, he initiated reverse tendering for port works, which stirred controversy. Approximately six months ago, construction of breakwater walls commenced. However, Telugu Desam is currently criticising that the progress of port works has regressed due to YSRC’s implementation of reverse tendering. Kapu voters wield significant influence with more than 25% of voters in Machilipatnam constituency. However, former minister Kollu Ravindra, who hails from the fisherman community, stands to gain substantial JSP votes as part of the alliance. There is a possibility that JSP’s support in the polls may bolster Ravindra’s chances. Voters belonging to Fishermen (13%), Settibalija (11%), Muslim (11%) and other communities also hold a significant chunk in the electorate.
In 2019, Ravindra contested as the TDP candidate against YSRC’s Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) and lost by a margin of about 5,000 votes and is now contesting against Nani’s son Kittu. Perni Vaka Sai Krishna Murthy’s lack of experience compared to other secondary leaders is his biggest drawback. Moreover, he lags in connecting with the locals. Despite facing numerous criminal cases in the past five years, Ravindra is perceived to have garnered significant sympathy, according to the sources from TDP.
However, Kittu holds a reputation for his ability to unite people. YSRC cadres are optimistic that Nani’s experience serves as unifying factors for the victory of Kittu. Particularly, the combination of Jagan’s charisma, YSRC’s welfare schemes and Nani’s leadership is viewed favourably.
