Parties field candidates with teaching profession for Adilabad LS seat

Adilabad: The three main parties have fielded former government teachers for the Lok Sabha elections from Adilabad — former MLA Atram Sakku (BRS), former MP Godam Nagesh (BJP) and Atram Suguna (Congress). Suguna is the first Adivasi woman to contest the seat.

All three candidates belong to the Adivasi Gond community, the biggest among the Adivasis in the erstwhile Adilabad district.

Nagesh’s father Godam Rama Rao was a senior TD leader and tribal minister. Nagesh was tribal minister when N. Chandrababu Naidu was the Chief Minister.

Sakku first joined the Congress and later the BRS and participated in the Adivasi agitations for their rights on Jal, Jangal and Jameen. The Congress’ Suguna also has a similar background.

During the recent Assembly elections, the BRS got the most votes in the Adilabad parliamentary constituency segments, at 4,65,476 but won two seats. The BJP was 16,515 votes behind at 4,48,961 but won four the Adilabad, Mudhole, Nirmal and Sirpur (T) Assembly segments and stood second in Boath and third in Khanapur. The Congress was third with 2,51,886 votes overall.

The BJP high command is pacifying leaders who are not happy with nominating Nagesh days after he defected from the BRS. It is not clear where the BRS vote bank will go: To the BJP with Nagesh or to the Congress.