Chodavaram, a TDP bastion

Anakapalli: Forms a part of Anakapalli district, Chodavaram falls under the purview of Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

Belonging to the Chola dynasty, Chodavaram was earlier known to be ‘Chola Varam’ as Tamil Nadu rulers founded the place as a border post enroute Gajapathi kingdom.

It comprises four mandals including Butchayyapeta, Ravikamatham, Rolugunta and Chodavaram.

Known to be TDP’s citadel, the place elected TDP candidates for six terms in the past. The Congress Party candidates served in the constituency as MLAs for five terms.

Starting from Kandarpa Venkataramesam in 1951, the constituency elected Reddy Jagannadham Naidu, Sri Vechalapu Palavelly from Congress, Emani Seetha Rama Sastry, Gunuru Erri Naidu (Milatri Naidu), Balireddy Satya Rao, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, KSNS Raju before Karanam Dharmasri from YSRCP, who got elected as an MLA in 2019.

Once served as MLAs in the constituency, they had an opportunity to serve again. Gunuru Erri Naidu from TDP elected thrice, including in 1983, 1985 and again in 1994 against Balireddy Satya Rao from Congress, who was also elected twice in the constituency. In 2009 and 2014, KSNS Raju from TDP served twice as an MLA.

In some of the rural pockets, tribals depend on horses to send their wards to schools. A few villages at Rolugunta mandal have no school or Anganwadi centre.

The constituency is popular for sugar factories. Govada Sugar Factory located at Chodavaram was immersed in losses to the tune of Rs.170 crore. However, after YSRCP came to power, the losses were reduced to Rs.40 crore. The other sugar factories, including Tandava, Bheemasingi and Etikopaka were closed due to insurmountable losses.

One of the main concerns of the locals here is lack of proper roads. “So far, development works to the tune Rs 1,682 crore were taken up in the constituency.

Of them, Rs 400 crore was spent for road infrastructure. BN Road was laid at a cost of Rs 120 crore, a road from Bangarumetta to Anakapalli was laid at a cost of Rs 32 crore. The other road works are in different stages and they will be completed soon,” explained Karanam Dharmasri, Chodavaram MLA.

The YSRCP aims to complete the pending road works at the earliest to win people’s support so that it would be an easy win for the ruling party to get re-elected again.