Nellore: 2024 elections Litmus test for Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy

Nellore : With only five months left for the 2024 elections, people are contemplating whether Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy will grab a hattrick victory in Sarvepalli constituency? Can Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy win the election at least on his fifth attempt?

It may be recalled that during his three-day visit to the district, YSRCP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha Member V Vijaya Sai Reddy officially declared the candidature of Kakani Govardhan Reddy from Sarvepalli constituency in the 2024 elections.

Kakani Govardhan Reddy, native of Toderu village in Podalakuru mandal, won the election from Sarvepalli constituency twice against his political rival Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy twice in 2014 and 2019 with a majority of 5,446 votes in 2014 and with a majority of 13,973 in 2019 elections. In 2019 election, Kakani Govardhan Reddy secured easy victory by securing 97,272 votes (51.36%) against his political rival Somireddy following huge sympathy and a craze from the public towards YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, coupled with the extension of full-fledged support from party leaders. Now political equations are entirely different as the public reportedly lost confidence over the ruling party, particularly after illegal confinement of TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu. The situation turned more pathetic, in the aftermath of powerful YSRCP leaders like Kotam Reddy, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy deserting the ruling party may adversely affect Kakani’s victotr in the coming elections.

However, Kakani is confident of securing hattrick victory, counting heavily on various developmental works worth Rs 100 crore taken up in the last four and half years in Sarvepalli Assembly segment. Meanwhile, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, aspiring ticket for Sarvepalli constituency, is pinning high hopes of winning the election, based on sympathy towards TDP.

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

Somireddy got defeated twice in the hands of Congress nominee Adala Prabhakar Reddy in 2004 with a margin of 7,625 votes and with a margin of 10,284 votes in 2009 elections. Now Somireddy is moving earth and heaven to secure victory in the 2024 elections.