In the Tadepalligudem segment, Kapus will determine the destiny of YSRC and JSP

Tadepalligudem Assembly seat, one of the seven Assembly constituencies in West Godavari district, is well-known for its commercial centers in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, although it has been facing substantial developmental issues. While the Jana Sena nominated former Tadepalligudem municipality chairman Bolisetty Srinivas to run in the constituency as part of the tripartite alliance, the YSRC chose Endowment Minister and current MLA Kottu Satyanarayana to retain the seat.

The Kapu group has contributed negatively to the political, social, and economic dominance of the constituency, making up slightly over 30% of the total. It is noteworthy that the area has been referred to as an endowment minister’s constituency since, during the course of the last 40 years, three MLAs from Tadepalligudem were elected to the Assembly and have held endowment minister positions in the State government.

Tadepalligudem is one of the most affluent and profitable cities in the western delta, home to hundreds of rice mills and godowns for the export of fruits, onions, and chillies. The constituency has 2,13,229 voters, of whom 1,04,059 are men and 1,09,160 are women.

Ever since the TDP was founded in 1982, Tadepalligudem has been a pillar of the party. The Congress won the 1987 by-elections and the 2004 general elections, Praja Rajyam in 2009, BJP in 2014, and YSRC in 2019 elections, while Telugu Desam won the seat in 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, and 1999 elections.

Although the region’s citizens are voicing their disapproval of the unfulfilled electoral promises, there have been no noticeable attempts from the governing side. The lack of a second summer storage tank in the area to address the water scarcity is regretted by the voters.

Even though Tadepalligudem’s rural communities suffer greatly from the Yerra Kaluva floods every year, officials keep promising to build retaining walls to solve the problem. But, the people lamented, the promises are limited to paper. Furthermore, travelers are compelled to board the train at either Rajamahendravaram or Vijayawada since there is no stop for long-distance trains at Tadepalligudem railway station. Political observers believe that gaining the seat is not an easy feat for the contenders in light of all these challenges.