Congress, TDP dominated political scene

Singanamala(Anantapur): Came into existence in 1967, the constituency was graded as an SC seat and ever since had been represented by many SC candidates belonging to Congress, TDP and YSRCP.

The total number of voters in the constituency are 2,35,064. Congress was of course a dominant party since 1967. The party represented the constituency in 1967, 1989, 2004 and 2009. Janata Party won in 1978 and an independent won in 1972. The TDP won in 1983,1985, 1994, 1999 and in 2014 while YSRCP won in 2019.

The present sitting MLA is Jonnalagadda Padmavathi. She is the wife of Samba Siva Reddy, who is currently the chairman of schools education committee. Her recent comments that for everything one has to go to Jagan Mohan Reddy created ripples in the party and she clarified that her comments were on the officials not on government or party and the social media had twisted her comments.

Padmavathi unsuccessfully contested as MLA in 2014 on YSRCP ticket against TDP candidate Yamini Bala. In 2019, Padmavathi won against Bandaru Sravani Sree of TDP by a majority of 46,242 votes.

Her husband Sambasiva Reddy has close connections with Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. She actively participated in all government and party programmes. However, surprisingly figured in the list of those MLAs who may not be re-nominated on the basis of adverse intelligence reports.

There is of course no official announcement so far from the YSRCP on her re-nomination or about any other candidate replacing her. Reports of her prospects of not being renominated upset her so much. She also vented her ire at her party colleagues indirectly for insulting and degrading her because of her caste identity as a Dalit creating road blocks in supply of drinking water and irrigation to farmers in her

constituency.

TDP is likely to renominate Bandaru Sravani, a Dalit woman in the constituency.