TDP’s young gun ready to face Botcha’s brother
Vizianagaram: Gajapatinagaram assembly constituency has been one of the distinguished constituencies in electing its representatives. People of this region have been giving top priority to candidates rather than political parties. As a result, TDP has won this seat five times, Congress four times, independent candidates twice and YSRC, Janata Party, Praja Socialist Party and Swatantra Party once each.
After tasting victory in the 2019 elections, YSRC has once again fielded sitting MLA Botcha Appalanarasaiah to contest the upcoming elections against TDP candidate Kondapalli Srinivas. Botcha Satyanarayana’s younger brother Botcha Appalanarasaiah won the assembly constituency in the 2009 and 2019 elections under the Congress and YSRC banners respectively. Currently, he is preparing the ground to retain the seat for the third time in the upcoming elections.
On the other hand, the TDP high command refused to give party ticket to Kondapalli Appalanaidu, who started his political journey after the sudden demise of his father and three-time MP Kondapalli Pyditalli Naidu. He won from Gajapatinagaram assembly constituency in 2014 and lost the seat to Botcha Appalanarasaiah in the 2019 elections.
Determined to gain seats in the upcoming elections, top TDP leaders have refused to give ticket to Appalanaidu and have fielded young entrepreneur-turned-politician Kondapalli Srinivas.
Gajapatinagaram assembly constituency is one of the agriculture based areas which includes Gajapatinagaram, Bondapalli, Dattirajeru, Gantiyada and Jami mandal. Turpu Kapu and Koppala Velama are the major communities in the constituency. Whereas, SC, Yadav and other communities are playing an important role in determining the fate of the MLA candidates.
Most of the people in this assembly constituency are dependent on paddy and sugarcane. Therefore, Tatipudi Reservoir, Andra Reservoir, Thottapalli Branch Canal, and Mentada-Nelivada Channel (MN Channel) are the major irrigation projects supplying irrigation water for both paddy and sugarcane.
Also Read – Andhra Pradesh HC rejects JSP’s election symbol plea
The Congress government led by former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy proposed the Babu Jagjivan Ram Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi Project, which can irrigate at least 3.9 lakh acres of land in Vizianagaram and Parvatipuram-Manyam districts through the left canal of Polavaram . The project will bring at least 80,000 acres of land under cultivation in Gajapatinagaram assembly constituency alone. However, the ruling YSRC government reportedly neglected all these irrigation projects. Although the government conducted Thottapalli branch canal work by spending Rs 25 crore and modernization work of Andra Reservoir canals by spending Rs 16 crore, the work was not completed.
On the other hand, Shri Vijayaram Gajapati Cooperative Sugars Limited, popularly known as Bhimasingi Sugar Factory, was closed down by the ruling YSRC government in the name of modernisation. But, the government has not started the work yet citing non-availability of sugarcane.
This alleged negligence of the government has left at least 20,000 farmers in 10 mandals of both Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts in trouble.
Construction of a government degree college in Gajapatinagaram was also one of the unfulfilled election promises of sitting MLA Botcha Appalanarasaiah. Although the government completed the recruitment of employees, it failed to complete the construction of buildings. As a result, college authorities are conducting classes in dilapidated junior colleges.
Saying that he has played an important role in providing at least 10,000 houses besides providing welfare schemes to improve the living standards of the people in the area, Botcha Appalanarasai clarified that there is no truth behind this allegation by TDP leaders. That they have changed the alignment. of Sujala Shravanthi Project to secure their land. He promised to complete all pending projects if voted to power.
Meanwhile, Kondapalli Srinivas criticized the YSRC, alleging that the ruling party government had deliberately cheated 20,000 sugarcane farmers by closing the Bhimasinghi sugar factory for its personal gains.
