Slum-dwellers, fishermen to boost winning chances

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam East Assembly constituency, is one of the biggest constituencies in the district. This assembly constituency is giving its mandate very clearly to the TDP since 2009. Andhra University, the Visakhapatnam's icon Kailasagiri, several government hospitals, Asia's biggest residential colony MVP Colony, Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences, Health City (with over 20 super specialty hospitals), central prison, and many more attractions located in the segment.

There are no specific issues plaguing the segment as the area has developed on all aspects. Majority of the common, business and salaried communities in the segment are utilising their right to vote in the last two elections with 75 and 78 per cent in 2009 and 2014 respectively.

During the 2009 general elections, TDP candidate Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu won the elections defeating his nearest rival and PRP candidate Vamsi Krishna Srinivas. In 2014 elections also Ramakrishna Babu won the elections on YSR Congress Party candidate Vamsi Krishna Srinivas with a majority of 47,883 votes. The TDP candidate polled 1,00,624 votes while the YSRCP aspirant got 52,741 votes only. The slum-dwellers and fishermen voters are backing the TDP for the past two elections.

The constituency has a total of 2,67,548 voters. Of them 1.35 lakh are male and 1,32,548 are female voters. This segment is playing vital role in electing Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha candidate also.

The residents of MVP Colony during every summer are facing drinking water supply problem and appealing to civic authorities to address the issue but in vain. As the bore-wells are drying up in the summer, the residents are buying water from private parties. The GVMC is supplying water tankers to every corner of the colony. However, the residents are demanding to construct new reservoir or supply the waters from Mudasarlova reservoir.