Close fight will be between YSRCP & resurgent TDP

Nellore: The significance of Nellore Lok Sabha constituency is that it has elected leaders of various communities including from SC community to Lok Sabha since its formation in 1952. About 10 people including three women had represented this constituency in Lok Sabha. In all, this constituency had seen 15 elections.

In 1952, Nellore MP seat was in general category and was represented by seasoned political stalwarts like Rebala Dasaratharama Reddy (1952) and his brother Rebala Lakshmi Narasa Reddy (1957). Former Uttar Pradesh Governor and erstwhile Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Bejawada Gopala Reddy won the election on Congress ticket in 1962.

It became SC reserved seat in 1977 and Doddavarapu Kamakshaiah, a close associate of Anam family, from Atmakur mandal was elected thrice (1971, 1977 and 1980) and Kudumula Padmasri won in 1991.

Panabaka Lakshmi won in 1996 and 1998 (midterm polls) and 2004 with the support of Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy. She served as a minister in the Union Cabinet twice between 2004- 2009 and 2009-2014 in the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh. At that time, she had represented Bapatla SC constituency as Nellore MP seat was re-converted into general category seat in 2009.

After former CM late NT Rama Rao formed Telugu Desam Party in 1983, the entire political scenario had changed. TDP candidates Putchalapalli Penchalaiah in 1984 and Vukkala Rajeswaramma were elected in1999 elections.

After the constituency was made a general seat in 2009, contractor-turned-politician Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy was elected from Nellore seat on Congress ticket by defeating TDP candidate Vanteru Venugopala Reddy with a majority of 54,993 votes. In 2012, Congress nominee Tikkavarapu Subbarami Reddy won with a majority of 2, 91,745 votes in 2012 by-elections.

Later, Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy joined YSRCP and defeated TDP candidate Adala Prabhakara Reddy with a majority of 13,478 votes in 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, Adala Prabhakara defeated Beeda Mastan Rao, who contested as TDP candidate and later joined the YSRCP.

Like earlier, this time too, the contest would be mostly between YSRCP and TDP only. Political circles say that the contesting candidates have to spend huge money. This Lok Sabha constituency has seven Assembly segments and it is estimated that about Rs 50 crore per segment would be the expenditure.