Anantapur: Gandikota that has historically been a prominent landmark for the country and the state, akin to the Grand Canyon, with the big fort and deep valley. The place, however, has now been gaining a different kind of attention since it has become a ‘venue’ for major political battles between the two top leaders of the ruling and the opposition parties in the state. Gandikota traditionally has played significant roles during the Kakatiya, Vijayanagara and Qutub Shahi periods.
The current political war is centred on holding the area in Rayalaseema region. The ongoing political ‘tussle’ between Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Kadapa district has managed to attract the attention of experts from the state. Telugu Desam chief Naidu targeted his counterpart Jagan on his home turf with the release of Krishna waters to Pulivendula and other parts of Kadapa distirct.
Mr Naidu aims to win many seats as he can from Kadapa district including Pulivenudula. With this aim, he has been trying to strengthen the party. TD wants to use the completion of the long-awaited project designed to irrigate lands with Pulivendula from Gandikota reservoir as an effective weapon. TD high command has taken up the pending works around Pulivendula on a war footing.
TD leader and AP Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Sathishkumar Reddy who has been defeated more than once by YSR family from his constituency, has taken this as a challenge for his political mileage. The Chief Minister will formally release water for Pulivendula on January 11. Sathishkumar Reddy will end his oath of not shaving his beard. “The long-pending scheme has assumed a firm shape because of the great efforts put in by the Chief Minister. If the opposition party claims it to be because of their efforts, why could they not bring water earlier,” he pointed out.
YSRC leaders from Kadapa district, during their recent visits to the area, had declared that the project is dedicated to former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy praised the efforts of the late chief minister, saying that he had completed a major portion of the project. Mr Jagan, during his recent protest at Pulivendula, had attacked the Chief Minister for neglecting genuine issues.
“Without proper allocations, including for the pending works, the Chief Minister is bluffing people of Kadapa district but they understand his false and cheating promises,” he said. “For both party chiefs, Naidu and Jagan, the Gandikota has turned out to be a prestigious issue to gain political mileage in the sensitive district of Rayalaseema”, an analyst from Kadapa observed.
