Four-cornered contest likely in Adoni

Adoni (Kurnool): Adoni will witness four-cornered contest. Though the main fight will be between the TDP and YSRCP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are also likely to put up their candidates.

If the mood of the people here is any indication, they are looking for a fresh face who would strive for the development of the constituency and address their grievances.

The present sitting YSRCP MLA Y Sai Prasad Reddy had represented this constituency thrice - once in 2004 as a Congress candidate and subsequently twice as the YSRCP candidate in 2014 and 2019. Similarly, Meenakshi Naidu was elected thrice on behalf of the TDP in 1994, 1999 and 2004.

Three-time MLA Sai Prasad Reddy’s contribution towards the development of the constituency has been negligible. He had to face the ire of people during ‘Gadapa Gadapa Ki Mana Prabhutvam’ programme. He had to return back winding up the programme midway. Added to this, there are also allegations against him of land-grabbing.

YSRCP party sources said that the party may not give ticket to him this time. The name of Sreekanth Reddy, who is a follower of Y Sai Prasad Reddy, has come to the fore.

Similarly, though Meenakshi Naidu had represented this constituency thrice from the TDP, his contribution towards development of the constituency is also not much. Hence there is anger among the voters. It is said that Madire Bhaskar Reddy and Gudise Krishnamma are among those for the TDP who are aspiring for the party ticket.

Meanwhile, Meenakshi Naidu met TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and urged him to give him the last chance and assured that he would develop the constituency.

He is also trying to seek the support of Madire Bhaskar Reddy to ensure his victory if ticket was given. The TDP so far has been non-committal. If Meenakshi Naidu is denied the ticket, he may throw his weight behind Sai Prasad Reddy of YSRCP as both are good friends. But people’s mood is different. They do not appear to be in favour of either of the two leaders. From Congress the names of Neelakantappa and former market yard chairman Devi Shetty Prakash are making rounds.

The BJP is considering the names of K Neelakanta, ex MLA, N Prakash Jain and Ramesh Yadav. Minorities and Valmiki community here are the deciding factors in the victory of any candidate. Adoni has a total voter strength of 2,53,844, of them 1,26,764 are males, 1,27,032 females and 48 are third gender.