Palair: The adage ‘Better late than never’ seems to be working well as an electoral strategy for the Congress, especially with regard to selection of its candidates in the ensuing Assembly elections, including in Khammam and Palair, where caste equations play a major role.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram, who is also in the fray from Palair, is likely to split the anti-BRS vote. This can have a bearing on the prospects of Congress candidate Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.
It will be a neck-and-neck showdown between incumbent minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar and Tummala Nageswara Rao from Congress at Khammam. Incidentally, the Congress is fielding Nageswara Rao from Khammam and not Palair, his original constituency. Srinivas Reddy was earlier representing Khammam.
This shift in constituencies is seen as a major eleventh hour strategy of the Congress. Nageswara Rao and Ajay Kumar both belong to the Kamma community.
Ajay Kumar has taken up several development works in Khammam city such as laying foundation stone for constructing concrete walls on either side of Munneru river from Polepalli to Prakashnagar at an estimated cost of Rs 690 crore and a Rs 180 crore worth project for construction of four-line bridge expansion.
However, in the recent floods people from Jalagam Nagar had a tough time after the village was submerged with flood waters from Munneru river. Around 3,000 residents were evacuated to safer places.
The other development works include renovation of Lakaram lake and installing the tallest statue of N.T. Rama Rao as part of the area’s beautification and an IT hub, among others.
At the ground level, people allege that barring old-age pensions, no government scheme was being extended to the eligible persons.
D. Mariayamma, a 63-year-old resident of Jalagamnagar, wondered why the leaders had failed to construct concrete walls along the Munneru.
“My residence is adjacent to the main road leading to Munneru bridge. I agree that my locality faces flood issues but the BRS government asked me to demolish my building to take up road expansion works. I asked them to allot me a double bed room house or any other alternative living place. There has been no response,” she said. Mariayyama said she gets old-age pension and 6 kg of rice.
A. Rajya Lakshmi, belonging to the Dalit community from the same colony, recalled that when she was a child, Communist leaders protected the area but now they had all vanished. When her husband had applied for benefits under the Dalit Bandhu scheme, the local leaders had denied him the benefits, she said.
Raghunadhapalem has at least 4,600 voters, who can play a key role. Ramesh, a cycle shop mechanic, said that the locals had already decided on whom to vote.
Palair, a major gram panchayat, which is now an Assembly constituency, is gaining from Mission Bhagiratha and the Palair reservoir. However, the locals lament the government’s failure in providing jobs to youth and in ensuring basic amenities.
A. Rajeshwari, who belongs to the fishing community, said that she makes ends meet by selling fish at Palair reservoir. Construction of the by-pass road has hit her earnings considerably given the low traffic movement. She urged BRS leaders to construct a fish market on the by-pass road. There has been no response from them.
Palair may see a close fight between Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and his BRS opponent K. Upender Reddy.
A similar situation may prevail in other constituencies in Khammam district, including Madhira (SC) Wyra and Sathupalli.
