Andhra Pradesh: After end to negativism, Uravakonda gets a minister
Anantapur: Almost after three decades, the Uravakonda constituency that had a reputation to always sit in the Opposition, scripted a change this time and its MLA swiftly won a berth in the state Cabinet.
Telugu Desam’s Payyavula Keshav, who won the seat this time, has been included in the TD-led ministry. Keshav had worked as PAC chairman in the previous government, a post that goes to the opposition in normal course.
Notably, Chandrababu Naidu gave an opportunity only for Payyavula Keshav from Anantapur district even as many seniors from the BC community expected a berth in the present Cabinet.
The ‘negative sentiment’ of Uravakonda Assembly segment took a break after 25 years as its MLA now is a part of the ruling establishment.
The MLAs elected from the Uravakonda Assembly segment since 1999 had to sit in opposition, be they from the TD, Congress or the YSRC. This time, TD nominee Payyavula Keshav won the seat with a 21,000 majority against his nearest rival, Y. Visweswar Reddy of the YSRC. An enthused Naidu uplifted him to be a part of his ministry.
Sources said Payyavula Keshav might be the finance minister.
Payyavula Keshav said he was happy that the constituency could discard its negative sentiment this time. "We created awareness among the cadres over the need for the constituency to be on the right side of power," Keshav told DC.
Uravakonda had suffered a lot as its MLAs had to sit in the opposition without a break for the last two and a half decades. This had a telling negative impact on civic issues. The drinking water scarcity remained unsolved though Uravakonda had a PAB reservoir and other sources. The authorities did not take an interest in solving such problems.
“Now, we can at least mount pressure on the minister to get such works done,” beamed Ramana, a resident of Uravakonda. “Unnessesary disputes in the past between the ruling and opposition sides resulted in a drag of the works,” he added.