Ministers from Telengana region in better position than Seemandhra leaders
The Congress has a star campaigner in Chiranjeevi but the Congress candidates are finding it hard to convince the electorate that the party was not the only one responsible for state's division. (Photo: File/PTI)
Hyderabad: Union ministers who are contesting the elections are having a tough time against the TRS in Telangana and the YSRC in Seemandhra. Five Union ministers are contesting in Seemandhra, where people are angry with the Congress for bifurcation.
The Congress has a star campaigner in Union minister K. Chiranjeevi but the Congress candidates are finding it hard to convince the electorate that the party was not the only one responsible for division of the state. Except for three or four seats, the main fight is between the YSRC and the TD-BJP alliance.
Three Union ministers are contesting in Telangana, but here the Congress is unable to cash in on its appeal as the party responsible for the new state because it has no star campaigner. The ministers in the fray in Seemandhra are Killi Kruparani (Srikakulam), Y. Kishore Chandra Deo (Araku), M.M. Pallam Raju (Kakinada), Panabaka Lakshmi (Bapatla) and Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy (Kurnool).
In Telangana, S. Jaipal Reddy (Mahbubnagar), S. Satyanarayana (Malkajgiri) and Balaram Naik (Mahabubabad) are the ministers contesting. Ms Kruparani is facing Telugu Desam’s K. Rammohan Naidu, the son of late K. Yerrannaidu, and YSRC candidate Shanti.
In 2009, Ms Kruparani defeated Yerrannaidu by 82,987 votes. His son, Mr Rammohan Naidu, is in a good position in the triangular fight, but internal differences are affecting his chances. Also, latest reports suggest that Ms Shanti is giving him a tough fight. Ms Kruparani may end up in the third position.
Mr Kishore Chandra Deo had won from the Araku Lok Sabha constituency by 1,92.444 votes in 2009. By all accounts, Mr Deo is putting up a tough fight and has an edge over the YSRC’s Dr K. Geetha. The TD contestant is G. Sandhya Rani.
In Kakinada, Mr Pallam Raju is facing Mr Thota Narasimham (TD) and Mr Chalamasetti Sunil (YSRC). Mr Pallam Raju had recorded a 34,044-vote victory over Mr Sunil in 2009, then with the erstwhile Praja Rayam. This time, however, the main fight is between the YSRC and the TD.
Ms Panabaka Laxmi is contesting again from Bapatla, where she won in 2009 by 69,338 votes over the TD’s Malyadri Sriram. Mr Sriram is contesting again but this time his big rival is the YSRC’s Amrutha Pani.
In Kurnool, Mr Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy had defeated the TD’s B.T. Naidu by 73,773 votes. This time, the main fight is between Mr Naidu and the YSRC’s Butta Renuka.
In Telangana, Mr Jaipal Reddy had won in Chevella by 18,532 votes over the TD’s A.P. Jitendar Reddy in 2009. This time, both have shifted to Mahbubnagar. Mr Jitendar Reddy now represents the TRS but it will be a neck-and-neck race between the old rivals. The TD-BJP candidate is N. Indrasena Reddy.
Mr Balaram Naik faces the TRS’ Sitaram Naik and the TD’s Mohan Lal in Mahabubabad. The constituency has three Assembly segments, Pinapaka, Yellendu and Bhadrachalam which fall under Khammam district, where the TRS is not strong and its candidates are weak. Mr Naik is in a good position this time too, but he faces a division of votes with the YSRC in the Khammam seats. In 2009, Mr NaiK had defeated the grand alliance candidate Kunja Srinivasa Rao (CPI) by 68,957 votes.
The battle in Malkajgiri is truly interesting. Mr Satyanarayana had won the seat by defeating the TD’s T. Bhimsen by 93,326 votes in 2009. He faces many candidates this time, including M. Hanumantha Rao (TRS), C. Malla Reddy (TD), V. Dinesh Reddy (YSRC), Prof. K. Nageswar (independent) and Jayaprakash Narayan (Lok Satta).
Next Story
