All eyes are on this constituency as Minister for Housing Botcha Satyanarayana, Congress strongman, who wrested the seat from the Telugu Desam after 25 years, in his very first attempt, is the candidate once again.
In 2004, he defeated TDP’s Gadde Babu Rao, who won this seat twice earlier, and is facing him once again as also former ZPTC member Rowthu Sunita of Praja Rajyam.
During delimitation, Gurla and Merakamudidam mandals, the strongholds of Congress, were added to the constituency while Cheepurupalli and Garividi were retained.
In the Panchayat elections, the Congress won Gurla, Merakamudidam and Cheepurupalli ZPTCs and also a majority of MPTCs.Instead of receiving a fillip, Mr. Satyanarayana is facing protest from his own party men in Gurla after the resignation of senior Congress MLA Penumatsa Sambasiva Raju.
Another Congress leader Rowthu Sugunakar Rao, who was his confidante earlier, also resigned and joined the PR. Mrs. Sunita is his wife.
The Minister is leaving no stone unturned to woo voters in Gurla and Merakamudidam.
He has been playing the caste card and also banking on the development plank in the last five years.
Yet, his adversaries criticise him for not fulfilling the promise of Thotapalli channel and giving Revenue Division status to Cheepurupalli.Mr. Babu Rao was the first to break the peculiar order that voters never elected a candidate for the second term from the same constituency. He launched campaigning ahead of others and is sure that anti-incumbency factor and support of workers, particularly from FACOR workers, affiliated to CITU, in Garividi will help him in the polls. Ms. Sunita has a hold in Merakamudidam mandal as it is her native place and her presence in fray will only split the Congress votes.
Moreover, Kemburi Ram Mohana Rao, former TDP MP and joined the PR after he was denied the ticket, has adopted a wait and watch posture.
In 2004, he defeated TDP’s Gadde Babu Rao, who won this seat twice earlier, and is facing him once again as also former ZPTC member Rowthu Sunita of Praja Rajyam.
During delimitation, Gurla and Merakamudidam mandals, the strongholds of Congress, were added to the constituency while Cheepurupalli and Garividi were retained.
In the Panchayat elections, the Congress won Gurla, Merakamudidam and Cheepurupalli ZPTCs and also a majority of MPTCs.Instead of receiving a fillip, Mr. Satyanarayana is facing protest from his own party men in Gurla after the resignation of senior Congress MLA Penumatsa Sambasiva Raju.
Another Congress leader Rowthu Sugunakar Rao, who was his confidante earlier, also resigned and joined the PR. Mrs. Sunita is his wife.
The Minister is leaving no stone unturned to woo voters in Gurla and Merakamudidam.
He has been playing the caste card and also banking on the development plank in the last five years.
Yet, his adversaries criticise him for not fulfilling the promise of Thotapalli channel and giving Revenue Division status to Cheepurupalli.Mr. Babu Rao was the first to break the peculiar order that voters never elected a candidate for the second term from the same constituency. He launched campaigning ahead of others and is sure that anti-incumbency factor and support of workers, particularly from FACOR workers, affiliated to CITU, in Garividi will help him in the polls. Ms. Sunita has a hold in Merakamudidam mandal as it is her native place and her presence in fray will only split the Congress votes.
Moreover, Kemburi Ram Mohana Rao, former TDP MP and joined the PR after he was denied the ticket, has adopted a wait and watch posture.
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