Amaranatha to face crucial election in Palamaner

Tirupati: Former minister N Amaranatha Reddy is all set to contest once again from Palamaner constituency in the upcoming general elections.

The four-time MLA has won twice on TDP ticket from Punganur constituency and one time each on TDP and YSRCP tickets in Palamaner constituency. It is located adjacent to Kuppam constituency and TDP has a strong cadre there.

Sericulture is the main occupation in the constituency apart from dairy, groundnut and paddy cultivation. After the special summary revision of the electoral rolls, the constituency has 2,67,178 voters among which 1,34,822 are women voters which shows an increase from 2,55,870 electors in 2019.

The constituency was established in 1952 during which the Congress candidate won the seat. In 1962, 1972 and 1978 also Congress candidates emerged victorious from here while Swatantra Party candidate got elected in 1967. After the establishment of TDP, its candidates won the seat five times so far out of nine elections. TDP’s Patnam Subbaiah won the seat consecutively for three times in 1985, 1989 and 1994.

Though Congress could win the seat in 1999, TDP bounced back to record victories in 2003 and 2009. In 2004 TDP candidate L Lalitha Kumari and in 2009 N Amaranatha Reddy emerged victorious from this seat.

After the elections in 2009, Amaranatha Reddy bid goodbye to TDP and voted in favour of the no confidence motion against then Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in support of YSRCP leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. He contested the seat in 2014 on the YSRCP ticket and after some time he went back into the TDP fold. He was defeated by N Venkata Gowda of YSRCP in 2019 by a margin of 32,246 votes.

It is certain that Amaranatha Reddy will contest again on TDP ticket this time to win the Assembly for the fifth time in his political career. However, there is still ambiguity on YSRCP candidate as it will field its sitting MLA Venkata Gowda again or bring in a new face. Speculation is rife that Venkata Gowda may not get another chance.

In that case, it is to be seen whether the ruling party will field former TDP leader R V Subash Chandra Bose who was defeated in 2014 elections by Amaranatha Reddy who then contested on YSRCP ticket.

In recent times, Bose joined the ruling party which adds strength to the rumours that he may be the candidate. The key figure in district politics, minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy’s decision in this regard will be crucial.