TDP is upbeat, but YSRCP confident of win

Penukonda (Sathya Sai): Congress ruled the roost in Penukonda Assembly constituency since 1951 to 1983 until TDP registered a spectacular victory in 1983.

Penukonda, the historical town of the Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishna Devaraya, saw the domination of TDP ever since it entered into the political arena. The party developed a stronghold over the and had won in 1983, 1994,1999 and in 2004. The TDP strongman in the district Paritala Ravindra represented the constituency. Soon after the assassination of Ravindra, TDP district president B K Parthasaradhi began to represent the constituency since 2009 and won the seat in 2014 too.

In 2019, the YSRCP candidate M Sankara Narayana defeated his TDP rival B K Parthasaradhi by a majority of 15,000 odd votes. However, even today TDP has strong roots in the constituency. The TDP which is credited with the establishment of the South Korean automobile major Kia Automobiles in Penukonda during its rule in 2014-19, stands today as a symbol of TDP’s influence in the region and its major contribution to the development and industrialisation of the region.

TDP had represented the constituency for 25 years. It is no surprise if the TDP wins again in 2024 as there is no discernible wind in favour of YSRCP as of now. Ex-minister and MLA Sankara Narayana says that it is not just political wave but YSRCP is credited with ‘performance wave’ and said that the ruling party would win the polls.

The TDP is carrying out a campaign that if it is returned to power, it will usher in further industrial development which will generate more jobs than the parent company Kia Automobiles.

There are many adverse factors for the YSRCP. Only if there is an undercurrent of the Navaratnas and several welfare schemes as claimed by the YSRCP impacting the economic status, the going would be tough for the party.

The general criticism against the incumbent government is that it miserably failed on the development front. Many political observers feel that 2024 elections are unpredictable as there is no discernible wave in favour of any party.