Tirupati: Congress pick Babu may alter dynamics of race

Tirupati : The electoral battleground in the Puthalapattu Assembly constituency is poised with intrigue as three candidates from the main political parties gear up for the forthcoming contest. The ruling YSRCP has designated its former MLA Dr M Sunil Kumar as its candidate this time around, while the opposition TDP has introduced a fresh face Dr K Murali Mohan several months earlier.

In the midst of this intense competition, the Congress party has nominated YSRCP's incumbent MLA MS Babu, adding a layer of complexity to the electoral landscape.

Following YSRCP's decision to deny Babu ticket for a second term, he expressed his discontent by criticising the party’s leadership, particularly Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of unfair treatment of SC MLAs and attributing denial of ticket to him to a purportedly unfounded survey by I-PAC. Subsequently, Babu distanced himself from party activities and eventually joined Congress party, securing a ticket.

This move has stirred debate within the constituency, with Babu potentially emerging as a candidate capable of splitting votes from other parties, thereby altering the dynamics of the race. It is speculated that Babu holds sway in certain pockets across all five mandals, with his affiliation with the Tamil Mala community, possibly attracting support from the sizeable Tamil population among Dalits in the area. Some believe that this demographic may lean towards Babu, further complicating the electoral fortunes of other candidates and more so of the YSRCP candidate.

Moreover, Babu's influence extends to a section of YSRCP cadres who have stood by him over the past five years. His vocal criticism of the YSRCP leadership has garnered him sympathy and may sway sentiment against the ruling party.

Meanwhile, both Sunil of YSRCP and Murali of TDP have been actively engaged in intensive campaigning efforts. Sunil wants to come back, leveraging his prior experience as Puthalapattu MLA from 2014 to 2019, utilising his established connections in the constituency and emphasising the benefits of YSRCP's welfare programmes, Navaratnalu, to woo the voters.

Conversely, a journalist-turned-politician Murali adopts a novel approach by presenting his own development manifesto for the constituency while championing the TDP's ‘Super Six’ agenda. Having conducted extensive door-to-door campaigns across majority panchayats, he exudes confidence in his prospects for victory.

It is against this backdrop, how the Congress candidate Babu will impact the vote shares assumes importance in deciding other candidates political fortunes.