KHAMMAM: State Congress’ campaign chairman and party strongman Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka who is hoping for the third consecutive win from Madhira constituency, has his task cut out. The probable Chief Ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance is facing a tough competition from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate Lingala Kamala Raj.
At present, a round-up of responses from the people of Madhira indicate that Vikramarka has the edge. People mostly cite the Congress candidate’s “kindness”, “good heart” and the Jalimudi and Kattaleru project as reasons for supporting him. However, TRS candidate who is being backed by Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy is not far behind. TRS well-wishers believe their government’s social welfare measures will translate into votes for Kamala Raj.
60-year-old Nagaratnamma, a fruit vendor in Mudigonda village says: “I voted for Vikramarka in the last elections. I will be voting for him this time too because he has a good heart.” Reiterating the same, M Karunakar, a coconut vendor at Mudigonda Mandal headquarters says: “I had voted for CPM candidate Lingala Kamala Raj last time. Although he is contesting from TRS this time, I would be voting for Vikramarka as he is a very kind person. If anybody dies he visits their house and consoles them.”
Madhira-based businessman T Raja (45) also wants to vote for Vikramarka, but because “he developed the area with `2,000-crore funds”. K Ramana Rao, a farmer of Madhira rural mandal cited Vikramarka’s Jalimudi project and Kattaleru project as a reason behind voting for Congress this time.
For SK Saleem, a rickshaw puller from Chintakani village, his allegiance has changed from Congress in the last Assembly elections to TRS this time. “I have a 1-acre land which has been under dispute for a long time. I was able to clear the complications without paying a single paisa to any official,” he says. Saleem credits this to the Khammam MP’s reforms in the Lok Sabha constituency.
In fact many small and marginal farmers were seen to be favouring TRS as their disputed and patta-less lands were cleared by the Revenue Department without hassles or bribes.