Visakhapatnam: Protests erupted in all the six mandals of Araku after Lok Sabha member Goddeti Madhavi was named as in-charge for Araku assembly constituency, replacing sitting MLA Chetti Palguna.
In the poll-eve changes made by the YSRC in ASR district on Tuesday, Matsyarasa Visweswara Raju was made incharge of Paderu and Paderu MLA K. Bhagyalakshmi appointed as the incharge of Araku parliamentary constituency while Madhavi is named the Araku incharge.
Slogans rented the air, “Jagan Muddu Madhavi Vaddu” in all the mandals in Araku constituency. The protests began from Wednesday morning and were continuing on Thursday. Mandal-level leaders also called for agency bandh on Friday.
MPTC member from Araku, K. Rama Rao, said Madhavi was being treated as non-local as she never visited the constituency since she became MP. Not a single development activity took place so far, he said.
In Peda Bayulu mandal, local leaders said if the party high command did not change the candidate, they will work to defeat Madhavi.
“We are not asking for continuation of Chetty Palguna. The high command may appoint any local leader, but not Madhavi,’’ said panhchayat president of Peda Bayulu, Matsya Kondababu.
Several members of the YSRC gathered at the Ambedkar statue in Araku town and raised slogans against Madhavi, sporting black ribbons.
Senior party leaders Setti Gangadhara Swamy, Hukumpeta ZTPC Matsyalingam and Eswara Rao told the media that the YSRC has a strong base in ASR district and that would erode if Madhavi was given the MLA ticket.
He said the party won all the seats in the 2014 and 2019 elections and the winning streak would continue if wise decisions were taken in selection of the candidates.
