BJP may seek Kaikaluru if it joins TDP-JSP poll alliance

Vijayawada: Following the talks of likely alliance between TDP-JSP and BJP in the State, speculations are rife that the BJP may ask for Kaikalur Assembly seat.

This was the seat from where Dr Kamineni Srinivas, BJP leader and former Minister, had contested and won in 2014. Dr Kamineni Srinivas belongs to Kamma community and maintains good relations with locals and he is the first choice for the BJP.

Kaikaluru sitting MLA Dulam Nageswara Rao is likely to contest from the same segment again in 2024 Assembly elections. Nageswara Rai hails from Kapu caste.

Former TDP MLA Jayamangala Venkata Ramana quit the party and joined YSRCP. After he left the party, there is no prominent TDP leader in Kaikaluru segment.

In this backdrop, initially it was felt that the seat would be given to JSP as part of the alliance, but now the possibility of BJP getting it could not be ruled out.

In 2019 Assembly elections, Dulam Nageswara Rao defeated Jayamangala Venkata Ramana. Nageswara Rao got 82,128 votes while Venkata Ramana got 72,771 votes.

In 2009, TDP candidate Venkata Ramana was elected by defeating Kamineni Srinivas of Praja Rajyam Party. Congress so far didn’t start its activity in Kaikalur segment.

Dalit, Kapu, Kshatriya and BC voters are in sizeable number in Kaikaluru segment and play decisive role in the elections. So far, three candidates from different communities won in the three previous elections.

Now, the fight would be between the sitting MLA and former MLA in Kaikaluru, which is a part of Eluru Lok Sabha segment. Kaikaluru was part of the erstwhile Krishna district and now in Eluru district.