TDP and YSRC overcome opposition to win big in Kadapa

In Kadapa district, campaigning has been more intense as elections draw near. But it seems that the TDP has lagged in its electioneering since the party hierarchy is preoccupied with appeasing senior members who are prepared to resign in protest at not being given the opportunity to run for office. The second-rung leaders are trailing behind them, posing a fresh challenge to the TDP high command.

There hasn’t been any news of the YS family members joining the TDP, despite the party’s press releases indicating as much. But the YSRC has been successful in luring notable figures from the yellow party, including former MLA R Ramesh Kumar Reddy and SV Satish Reddy, the former deputy chairman of the AP Legislative Council and YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s opponent. Second-rung leadership has also joined the governing party. G Veera Shiva Reddy, the former MLA of Kamalapuram, is in talks and is expected to switch from TDP to YSRC.

The YSRC won all seven Assembly seats in 2019 (Kadapa, Mydukur, Badvel, Proddatur, Kamalapuram, Pulivendula, and Jammalamadugu) and the Kadapa Parliamentary constituency.

YS Avinash Reddy, the incumbent MP and YSRC’s contender for the Kadapa LS seat, and K Suresh Babu, the Parliamentary Coordinator, are making every effort to maintain the status quo.

However, the other leaders remain confined to their own seats, with TDP Politburo member R Srinivasulu Reddy being the sole prominent figure in the area.

For the seven Assembly seats, six of YSRC’s candidates are trying to win three straight. S Raghurami Reddy (Mydukur), Dr. Dasari Sudha (Badvel), Rachamallu Sivaprasad Reddy (Proddatur), P Ravindranath Reddy (Kamalapuram), Deputy Chief Minister SB Amzath Basha (Kadapa), and Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula) are the ones listed.

Afzal Khan is running for the Kadapa Assembly seat with the Congress. He just joined the ancient party and was the party secretary of the YSRC. R Madhavi Reddy, the spouse of Politburo member R Srinivasulu Reddy, has been put out by the TDP in the meanwhile. Party leaders Lakshmi Reddy, who wanted a ticket for his daughter-in-law Uma, and VS Amir Babu, who also wanted one, are not lending the pair enough support despite their aggressive campaigning. It is stated that Srinivasulu Reddy is not trying very hard to appease the enraged leaders. Despite being an old lawmaker, Raghurami Reddy of the YSRC is actively campaigning in Mydukur. M Chandra, the chairman of the Mydukur Municipality, is not giving him the necessary backing. Putta Sudhakar Yadhav is running for a third term on the TDP platform and is doing all in her power to unseat the YSRC. His main goal is to win over YSRC activists to the TDP.

Dr. Sudha of the YSRC is supported in Badvel by former MLC DC Govinda Reddy and other people. Bojja Roshanna, a close associate of TDP constituency head K Vijayamma, has been fielded by the NDA on behalf of the BJP. Every attempt is being made by Vijayamma and her son Ritesh Reddy to ensure Roshanna’s triumph.

MLC Ramesh Yadav is not endorsing Sivaprasad Reddy, the YSRC candidate in Proddatur. Rachamallu is thus doing all in his power to win over the Yadav community. Nonetheless, K Shiva Chandra Reddy and K Babu, two YSRC dissidents, have joined the TDP. Similar issues are besetting TDP candidate and seasoned leader N Varadharajulu Reddy, since he is not receiving support from former MLA M Linga Reddy and constituency head G Praveen Kumar Reddy.

P Ravindranath Reddy has been renominated by the YSRC in Kamalapuram. K Sainath Sharma, the TDP’s second-rung leader, has received a lot of support since joining the YSRC. Putta Chaitanya Reddy, the son of Putta Narasimha Reddy, was nominated by the TDP’s senior command, which has infuriated former MLA G Veerashiva Reddy. He is prepared to join the YSRC.

The YSRC is working nonstop to make sure that Jagan’s winning margin in Pulivendula is at least 96,000, which was his margin in the last election. Having Satish Reddy in the YSRC is an extra benefit. However, MLC Bhumireddy Rambhupal Reddy is not lending TDP candidate B Tech Ravi the anticipated backing.

The current M Sudheer Reddy is doing his hardest to hold onto the position in Jammalamadugu, but MLC P Ramasubba Reddy isn’t giving him the support he should be receiving. However, C Adinarayana Reddy, the BJP candidate, has only attended gatherings with members of the party.

Six YSRC contenders trying to win three straight

The YSRC is fielding six candidates for the seven Assembly seats in an attempt to win all three. They include Dr. Dasari Sudha, P. Ravindranath Reddy, S. Raghurami Reddy, SB Amzath Basha, Jagan Mohan Reddy, the party president, and Rachamallu Sivaprasad Reddy.