Confident Reddeppa leaves no chance, focuses on Naidu’s Kuppam

Chittoor : YSRCP candidate N Reddeppa is all confident of a second term from an otherwise TDP stronghold in the reserved parliamentary constituency of Chittoor. However, a lurking fear of a potential backfire spinned him down to the Assembly segment of Kuppam, the home turf of TDP supremo and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who has ruled for over three decades.

In the seven Assembly segments under Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency, the 73-year-old Reddeppa is confident of a lead in six, but despite a brave front he puts up, his continued presence to campaign in Kuppam gives way his nervousness.

Reddeppa's young protege, 35-year-old K R J Bharath, is taking on Naidu (74) in Kuppam. “No leader is working as hard as our party chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Under his leadership, we have immense faith that Kuppam too will be ours this time,” Reddeppa said.

The MP is campaigning in all seven Assembly seats in Chittoor. “The contestants are working hard here and we are confident of winning all seven seats, including Kuppam.” Reddeppa had won by 1.35 lakh voters in 2019 Lok Sabha polls against the TDP candidate. As he crisscrossed the Kuppam constituency, Reddeppa highlighted YSRCP’s welfare schemes that had benefited every household to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh in five years, questioning Naidu’s legacy of “unfulfilled promises.”

The opposition TDP hit back hard, accusing Jagan's government of implementing populist welfare schemes by taking on huge loans, pushing the state into a debt trap. But Reddeppa was ready with a counter-attack. “Before pointing fingers, Naidu should introspect on the debt he piled up during his 14-year tenure,” he charged.

A key poll plank for Jagan in 2019 was securing Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh from the Centre. Though it remained unmet, Reddeppa argued that even Naidu had settled for a special package over special status.

The TDP played its trump card, fielding retired IRS officer D Prasad Rao in Chittoor this time.

But Reddeppa sneered at this “outsider” candidate, seeing it as a snub to loyal local TDP leaders and the Scheduled Caste community. “We have already made deep inroads here by delivering on our promises,” Reddeppa asserted.

“I have spent crores of rupees from my MPLADS funds on development works, even in Naidu's stronghold Kuppam,” which is one of the seven Assembly constituencies under Chittoor parliamentary constituency. As the May 13 polling day nears, Reddeppa predicted his party would “comfortably” cross 150 seats in the 175-member Assembly.

He even suggested that the TDP may not survive such a rout. Whether bravado or credible assessment, only the ballots could decide. Besides the Assembly polls, elections to 25 Lok Sabha seat in the southern state will also be held on May 13.