Oppn plans to give a tough fight to Peddireddi

Tirupati: Punganur constituency is one of the high-profile Assembly constituencies in the state, now being represented by YSRCP senior leader Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.

Between 1952 to 1978, this constituency was the strong hold of the Congress Party and its candidates won the elections continuously except in1955 in which YBV Chikarayulu, the zamindar of Punganur got elected as independent candidate.

In the first election in 1952 Banala Krishnamurthy Rao of Congress had won the seat. Followed by Ramaswamy Reddy 1962, and B Rani Sundaramai in 1967, 1970 by-poll and 1972 elections.

In 1978 KV Patil had represented from here. Later, in 1983 a common man Baggidi Gopal who was working as a bus conductor in APSRTC resigned the job and contested as the TDP candidate and had won with a big majority.

The TDP continued its winning spree with its candidate Nuthana Kalva Ramakrishna Reddy who won in 1985, 1989 and also 1994.

In 1996 Ramakrishna Reddy son Amarnath Reddy won the bypoll but the TDP lost in 1999 elections and Congress staged a comeback when Sridhar Reddy got elected.

The TDP won in 2004 but lost to YSRCP in 2009, 2014, and 2019. YSRCP leader Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy has been winning from Punganur since 2009 and made it as YSRCP bastion. He is considered to be in No 2 position in Jagan Mohan Reddy's Cabinet and wields influence in Tirupati, Chittoor and Annamayya districts.

He has undoubtedly developed the constituency in a remarkable manner and also made it a practice to visit his constituency almost on a daily basis thus keeping a very strong Reddy hold in his constituency and is constantly in touch with the all sections of people. People say that he always stood by them.

However, that TDP which also has a considerable following and vote bank in Punganur is trying its best to give a tough fight to Peddireddu Ramachandra Reddy. TDP Punganur Assembly in-charge Challa Babu (Challa Ramachandra Reddy) is the likely candidate for the TDP here. He has been organising various programmes against YSRCP government and has been mobilising the rank and file.

Another development in the constituency was the emergence of a new party BCY (Bharatha Chaithanya Yatra) founded by Ramachandra Yadav. Yadav in 2019 contested as JSP candidate and lost. He is actively touring the constituency and launched a political struggle against Ramachandra Reddy.

Against the backdrop of this situation, a triangular contest in Punganur appears to be certain.