YSRC Fields Strong Candidates in Vizianagaram, Gajapathinagaram, Kurupam and Parvathipuram
VISHAKHAPATNAM: The YSRC has fielded strong candidates in Vizianagaram, Gajapathinagaram, Kurupam, and Parvathipuram, while the TD has given an opportunity to candidates known for their group politics.
This apart, TD candidates are not very familiar with the respective constituencies.
In 2019, Botcha Appalanarasayya won the Gajapathinagaram constituency with 93,270 votes, defeating Kondapalli Appala Naidu of TD by a margin of 27,011 votes. In the current election, Kondapalli Srinivasa Rao is set against Botcha Appalanarasayya.
The voters of Gajapathinagaram are familiar with Kondapalli Srinivasa Rao's paternal uncle, Kondapalli Appala Naidu. But they are not very familiar with Kondapalli Srinivasa Rao.
Meanwhile, minister Botcha Satynarayan's brother, Botcha Appalanarasayya, is a well-known face in the constituency.
In the 2019 polls, the YSRC’s Pamula Pushpa Sreevani won Kurupam with 74,527 votes, humbling her closest rival Janardhan Thatraj Veeravaratodramala of TD, who received 47,925 votes. This was her successful re-election as MLA there.
In June 2019, she was made one of the five deputy chief ministers, and entrusted with the role of tribal welfare. Sreevani's popularity increased when her TikTok video featuring YS Jagan Reddy went viral.
She is representing YSRC for the third time and is being challenged by TD candidate Toka Jagadheswari. Jagadheswari is supported by Satrucharla Vijayaramaraju, Pushpa Sreevani’s father-in-law.
While this is a strong point for the TD nominee, her personal identity does not have much impact on Kurupam voters.
In the 2019 elections, Alajangi Jogarao of the YSRC won the Parvathipuram SC reserved seat. He secured 75,304 votes, winning by a margin of 24,199 votes against his opponent, Bobbili Chiranjeevulu. Jogarao's victory was a significant contribution to the YSRC’s landslide win at that time.
Currently, Bonela Vijaya Chandra from the TD is contesting against Alajangi Jogarao. Vijaya Chandara, originally from Parvathipuram, had moved to Visakhapatnam for business purposes. However, after the pandemic, he became active in Parvathipuram politics. Vijaya Chandra is financially well-off, but he is not a well-known face in the Parvathipuram constituency.
