••Viveka’s murder, development, water, employment, caste combinations and candidates selection are debatable topics
Patibandla Srinivas
Amaravati: The mood of Rayalaseema and the priorities of the public are now a debatable topic in the political circles when Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu are campaigning in the Rayalaseema districts. Interestingly both the leaders represent from Rayalaseema districts—Pulivendula and Kuppam respectively.
As per the ground reports. The area’s name has been changed from ceded to Rayalaseema in a matter of time which covers 71,060km radius in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh containing districts of Chittoor, Anantapur, Kadapa, and Kurnool.
Named after the Vijayanagara dynasty under the rule of King Sri Krishnadevaraya, the area’s name was finally recognised as Rayalaseema. As many as eight Chief Ministers Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Damodaram Sanjeevaiah, Nedurimalli Janardhan Reddy, Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, YS Rajasekhar Reddy, N Kirankumar Reddy and YS Jaganmohan Reddy represented from Rayalaseema districts which is the highest number of Chief Ministers who served the state comparing to other parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Now all eyes are focused on the four districts when the bosses of two parties TDP and YSR Congress are conducting an election campaign. The political pundits and experts are collecting ground-level feedback from available sources.
As per the sources, the people of Rayalaseema are mainly interested in water, and employment opportunities. Similarly, YS Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case, community-based politics, and welfare schemes are also the most dominating factors in the elections. The entire Rayalaseema was a total faction back-grounded area in the past. But the changes are visible in the situation during the last four decades. It is identified as an economically undeveloped area due to no water facility and industrial development, employment opportunities in the past. But now nine universities and two deemed universities, seven medical colleges, and six central institutions have been established during the last several years.
Against this backdrop, the area’s people are also analysing every development including politics. Now both Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu are moving around in the area by conducting public meetings.
Chandrababu Naidu targeted YS Jagan for his failures, especially in the development and implementation of welfare schemes. He assured the people of Godavari waters for Rayalaseema districts. Already he finalised the project plan during the 2014-2019 period. Similarly, he is showing the KIA Cars Manufacturing Unit, Tyres, Cell Phone Manufacturing Units, and various projects that started in his previous tenure. Similarly, he completed the Muchumarri Lift Irrigation Scheme to provide water to the Kurnool district. He also recalled that he provided water for Pulivendula. He is offering 20 lakh jobs to youth after TDP comes to power along with welfare schemes.
On the other hand, YS Jaganmohan Reddy had a strong track record in the last Assembly elections as the YSR Congress won 49 Assembly segments out of 52 and eight Lok Sabha seats in the Rayalaseema region. Nara Chandrababu Naidu won in Chittoor district and P Kesav and N Balakrishna won in Anantapur district. The TDP lost a total of 8 Lok Sabha along with majority Assembly segments.
Presently YS Jagan Mohan Reddy started his political campaign in the model of the last Assembly election but now he is facing challenges from his family members. He is facing allegations of his involvement like his support to killers of his uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy. Jagan’s sister YS Sharmila is making corruption allegations against him.
In the last election, the entire Rayalseema districts revolted against the TDP when the YSR Congress and family members of YS Vivekananda Reddy made allegations against Chandrababu Naidu. Now the scene has reversed after five years. It is one of the reasons the TDP faced a big debacle. Presently the two sisters YS Sharmila and YS Sunita are requesting the people not to extend support to the YSR Congress. It is a big challenge to YS Jagan and it is high time to answer their allegations. Besides, YS Jagan depended totally on welfare schemes and caste equations. But one official of Pulivendula on condition of anonymity said that the YSR Congress is facing challenges from not only family members but also its community. But he opined that the TDP made several faults in the candidate selection and some welfare schemes are saviours to the YSR Congress. He pointed out that the people are eagerly watching all the developments
