Manakonduru may witness close battle between BRS and Congress

Shankarapatnam: BRS MLA Rasamayi Balakishan, who is fighting for reelection from the reserved Manakondur constituency, faces a keen contest from BRS and Congress candidates.

While the BRS legislator comes with a legacy of being integral to the statehood movement, he also carried the bogey of being in power for two consecutive terms. Congress candidate Dr Kavvampally Satyanarayana has sympathy for his social work over the years. BJP candidate Arepalli Mohan, a former Congress legislator, can cut into the votes of the BRS or Congress contestants.

With the Dalit Bandhu scheme not being implemented widely in this reserved constituency, resentment cuts across communities, including Dalits.

“We did not get any help through the scheme. I am a Dalit. I only got Rythu Bandhu benefits. The anger is not just against the local MLA as the people are looking for a change of government,” says J. Bhadrayya, 46, from Shankarapatnam.

However, V. Odelu, a farmer from Metveli village of Kesavapatnam mandal is happy that the government has ensured 24-hour power supply and ensured water for irrigation. Paddy is being bought in time at the IKP centres. He also points out that the youth are veering towards the Congress party for the government’s failure to provide jobs to youth.

T. Manoj Goud, a student from the same village, says he wrote TRT (Teacher Recruitment Test) in 2018 and could not clear it but hopes that more jobs will be provided by the BRS government in the future.

M. Kanakaiah (60), a farmer with one acre of land, also credits the BRS government for giving power for 24 hours and says they dread to recall their early struggles because of erratic power supply.