Rami Reddy-Janardhan Reddy fight on cards

Banaganapalle: Banaganapalle constituency, since its formation as separate constituency in 2009, was ruled by two strong leaders; Katasani Rami Reddy and BC Janardhan Reddy. Apart from these two leaders, both from Reddy community, none other than this community dared to contest in the Assembly elections. Earlier, when it was part of Panyam constituency also the constituency was in the hands of Reddys.

These two leaders, Rami Reddy and BC Janardhan Reddy have strong grip on the constituency. Janardhan Reddy became MLA for one time, in 2014 on behalf of TDP while Katasani Rami Reddy became MLA for twice, 2009 from (Praja Rajyam Party) and in 2019 from YSRCP.

In addition to these two leaders, two more names from YSRCP are making rounds this time.

In fact, the TDP has almost announced BC Janardhan Reddy as its candidate and is likely to confirm. But the YSRCP has not yet announced its party candidate. As of now, Katasani Rami Reddy, the sitting MLA, is holding the responsibilities of constituency inicharge. The two-time MLA has 40 years of political experience and played a vital role from 1985 to 2004, in the successes of his brother Katasani Rambhupal Reddy to become MLA of Panyam constituency.

Rami Reddy is a native of Gundla Singavaram village in Owk mandal. He has a strong hold in Annavaram, Lingambodu, Pedda Kottala, Chinna Kottala and Gundla Singavaram besides 10 more villages in the mandal where the voting would be one sided. Apart from Owk mandal, he is also having strong cadres in Banaganapalle mandal. But the voters in Banaganapalle mandal are not happy with Katasani, political sources say.

It is said that he is facing allegations that he has failed to give house pattas to the poor, construct a ring road connecting the bypass road, neglected Daddanala project and failed to extend drinking and irrigation water needs.

In addition to this, he is also facing the charges that he is not giving due priority to party cadres which upset them very much.

On the other hand the TDP former MLA BC Janardhan Reddy is also having strong grip among the Muslim community. Banaganapalle mandal alone has 50,000 Muslim voters. Whoever gets their support would certainly win the election. Political sources say that Janardhan Reddy while as MLA in 2014 had developed the constituency to a lot extent. During his tenure as MLA, he laid several roads, took up developmental activities and extended government welfare schemes to many beneficiaries.

He was always available to the people in the constituency. He created a strong cadre among the Backward Class (BC) community. He is having BC cadres in every village which is in fact a strong positive factor to TDP, political analysts explain.

This time it appears that the fight between the TDP and YSRCP would be a keen one.

However, there are others like Challa Sri Lakshmi, who is Owk ZPTC member who is also in the race. She is the wife of deceased ex MLC Challa Bhageeratha Reddy and daughter-in-law of ex MLC Challa Rama Krishna Reddy.

Apart from Challa Sri Lakshmi, the former MLA Bijjam Parthasarthay Reddy is also learnt to be aspiring for the ticket. He became MLA in 1999 after defeating his rival senior leader Katasani Rambhupal Reddy. At that time, he had contested from TDP. But after that he went into hibernation.

Now his old cadre is exerting pressures on Bijjam to contest the 2024 election as YSRCP candidate either for Assembly or Lok Sabha. In fact, there was a bitter faction rivalry between Katasani and Bijjam families. Both families came to an understanding in 2019 and Bijam supported Katasani.

The constituency has a total voter strength of 2,40,330. Of them, 1,18,366 are male, 1,21,939 are female and 25 are third gender. Whoever gets minority votes would be crowned in the constituency, analysts opine.