Tribal votes hold sway in Palakonda

Srikakulam: Voters residing in Agency area will play key role Palakonda Assembly segment in the district, which is reserved for STs. This segment covers Palakonda, Veeragattam, Sitampeta and Bhamini mandals. In Sitampeta and Bhamini mandals. The tribal voters are more than other communities here and play major role in deciding the victory of candidates.

Total voters in Sitampeta are 39, 427 and in Bhamini mandal 33, 460 of these two mandals the tribe voters are 49,000, who form large number of voters in this segment. On TDP ticket N Jaya Krishna, from YSRCP V Kalavathi, Jana Sena and CPM joint candidate Dr DVG Shankara Rao are in race.

Shankara Rao served as MP previously and he has good hold in Palakonda segment, he is also popular in tribe circle. In this backdrop, the constituency is likely to witness triangular fight. In Palakonda mandal, the total voters are 53, 896 and Veeragattam mandal total voters are 47,436. After tribe community, Turpukapu, Velama and other BC voters will play considerable role in this segment.

In addition to it BJP candidate T Suneetha and Congress candidate H Prasad also campaigning to get even considerable number of votes. In 2014 elections TDP lost this segment only with 1,620 votes difference. This time TDP candidate N Jaya Krishna is concentrating on lapses where TDP lost votes last time.

The segment formed in 1951 and reorganised in 2009. Of the 14 times elections conducted for this segment till 2014, TDP candidates captured power four times, Congress four times, Swatantra party two times and Socialist party won on two occasions. Independent candidate elected once and in 2014 YSRCP won in this segment.