Huzurabad is Etala's to lose; BRS and Cong. threaten to alter status quo

Huzurabad: The electoral battle for the Huzurabad Assembly constituency is among the tightest to call, with the candidates of BJP, BRS and Congress looking equally poised to take home the win.

While the election can be said to be Etala Rajender of BJP’s to lose — given he has contested seven times and won each time — BRS’ Padi Kaushik Reddy will lay claim to a significant portion of the votes, as will Congress candidate Udatala Pranav Kumar, who is the grandson of Rajya Sabha ex-member Udatala Rajeshwar Rao, a relative of former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

BRS’ Kaushik Reddy, a relative of Congress leader N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, had sought the ticket for Huzurabad when Rajender quit the party and joined the BJP. However, the BRS opted to go with Telangana activist Gellu Srinivas Yadav, who lost out.

Then, the Congress candidate, Balmoori Venkat, who was brought in from Pedapalli, secured only 3,054 votes. But, Udatala Pranav Kumar is expected to put up a much better showing as he has roots in the area.

The constituency has a total voter base of 2,44,514, with 1,24,833 women voters — more than 1,19,676 men voters — being in higher numbers in a rare instance. The constituency has a significant SC population, of nearly 40,000.

Political experts said it was no surprise then that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao came up with the Dalit Bandhu scheme in a bid to upstage Etala Rajendar.

A. Srinivas, of Chelpur village in Huzurabad mandal, credits Etala for getting him the Dalit Bandhu benefit of '10 lakh. “I bought a tractor with the money, of which '2 lakh was pocketed by middlemen. There is resentment among BCs and other castes, as schemes should be applicable to the poorest among all castes.”

Many other government scheme beneficiaries, however, were steadfast in their support of BRS.

Twenty-two-year-old K. Sirisha, a degree holder who is currently a homemaker, said her community, of washer-folk, will vote for the BRS again due to its welfare schemes. “We avail of free power at our shop, where we iron clothes. My father-in-law also gets old-age pension,” she said.

Twenty-two-year-old S. Pravallika, a first-time voter, said she used to support the BJP but will not opt for the BRS as she got Kalyana Lakshmi scheme aid of '1,00,116 for her wedding. “We received the money fully, with no interference by middlemen,” she said.

RTC employees in Huzurnagar were a pessimistic lot, saying they harboured no hope for a bright future irrespective of whichever party wins. They, however, said that Etala’s prospects in the polls have been hit as he has opted to contest in Gajwel also and that he might retain the seat if he wins against the Chief Minister.

V. Bhikshapati, who runs a soda dispenser, was, meanwhile, sure of his prediction. “Congress will win this time,” he said, offering a soda.