Sarvepalli a litmus test for YSRCP & Oppn parties

Nellore: Sarvepalli constituency is going to be a litmus test for the ruling YSRCP and Opposition parties.

Sources say that YSRCP has decided to re-nominate Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, while TDP is seriously considering the name of party politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy. If given ticket, he would be contesting for a third time.

Kakani got elected twice against his political rival Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy with a majority of 5,446 in 2014 and 13, 973 in 2019 elections and is trying for a hat-trick victory in 2024 elections.

Since the day of assuming charge as Agriculture Minister in April 2022, Kakani indirectly launched electioneering in the name of inaugurations and laying foundation stones in Sarvepalli constituency.

He managed to balance the incumbency prevailing among the public by providing Land Owner Ship rights to around 10,000 farmers of their assigned lands, exclusion of about 8,000 acres of dotted lands from prohibited list etc., which he hopes will help him win again.

Shifting Anam Ramanarayana Reddy to Atmakuru constituency against the earlier decision of fielding him from Sarvepalli Assembly segment turned additional advantage for Kakani.

TDP nominee Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, who is aspiring ticket for Sarvepalli constituency, is pinning high hopes of winning elections based on anti-incumbency factor against YSRCP.

Somireddy had contested from Sarvepalli constituency for six times in 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 elections. He won the election in 1994 and 1999 against his political rival and Congress candidate Chitturu Venkata Sesha Reddy in 1994 with a majority of 33,775 votes and with a majority of 16,096 votes in 1999 elections against the same candidate.

Somireddy got defeated twice by Congress nominee Adala Prabhakara Reddy in 2004 with a margin of 7,625 votes and with margin of 10,284 votes in 2009 elections, with a margin of 5,446 votes in 2014 and 13,973 votes in 2019 by Kakani. But now there is a possibility of the situation taking a turn in favour of TDP, if Congress also decides to contest from here. In the triangle contest, YSRCP may lose about 15,000 votes which can turn the tables in favour of Somireddy.