TDP has an edge over ruling YSRCP

Anantapur: The Anantapur Lok Sabha seat has non-local candidates nominated by TDP and the ruling YSRCP.

YSRCP candidate Malagundla Sankara Narayana belongs to Penukonda. He is the sitting Penukonda MLA and former minister. TDP candidate Ambika Lakshminarayana is from Hindupur and is new to the constituency. He is trying to connect with the seven Assembly constituencies with the help of local TDP Assembly candidates.

The fate of an MP candidate will be decided by the voters of seven Assembly constituencies. As simultaneous polls are being conducted to both State Assembly and Lok Sabha, the voter tendency is to vote for the party of his choice for the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats.

Rarely do voters distinguish between an MP and MLA seats unless a voter is educated and has high level of political awareness. If there is a wave in favour of a particular party, then most or all of the seats, be it MLA and MP seats go to the party.

Strategically, the MP candidates join the campaigns of Assembly candidates, take part in road shows and public meetings. This will also help them to save resources, especially when an MP candidate is financially weak.

The MP candidates identify themselves with Assembly candidates of 7 constituencies making it easy for voters to vote for two candidates of the party of their choice.

If one goes down the memory lane, the Parliamentary constituency of Anantapur was established in 1952 with seven Assembly constituencies of Rayadurg, Uravakonda, Guntakal, Tadipatri, Anantapur, Singanamala and Kalyandurg.

The Congress party candidates won from the constituency in 1952, 1971, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2009 while the TDP won in 1984, 1999 and 2014. In 1957, CPI stalwart Tarimela Nagireddy won from the constituency.

The present sitting MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy of YSRCP is a senior politician and has the distinction of serving as an MP for four terms and contesting as MP for six terms. He lost to TDP twice in 1999 and 2014 while he won in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2009.

His father Anantha Venkata Reddy also served as MP for two terms. For 30 years his family has dominated the parliamentary constituency.

After Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, J C Diwakar Reddy served as MP during 2014-19. He won on TDP ticket post AP bifurcation in 2014. In 2019, bureaucrat turned politician Talari Rangaiah contested and won as YSRCP candidate.

For 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the YSRCP has shifted Talari Rangaiah to Kalyandurg Assembly constituency. Ex-minister and Penukonda MLA M Sankara Narayana is nominated as YSRCP Anantapur MP candidate. He also hails from backward classes as Rangaiah.

Sankara Narayana, YSRCP candidate is unfamiliar to most of the Assembly constituencies in Anantapur Lok Sabha constituency.

The TDP comparatively has less problems with fielding of candidates etc while the ruling YSRCP is plagued with dissensions and anti-incumbency factors etc. The TDP has an edge over the YSRCP in the constituency.