Balashowry eyes 3rd win, ahead of rival in campaign
Vallabhaneni Balashowry along with TDP Gudivada candidate V Ramu, campaigning in Gudivada town on Thursday
Vijayawada: Machilipatnam sitting MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry, who is eying third victory in the Lok Sabha polls, has been visiting the Assembly segments under the Lok Sabha seat and canvassing extensively for the success.
He is ahead in the poll campaign compared to his rival YSRCP candidate Dr Simhadri Chandrasekhar, who is well known doctor in Divi Seema region. Balashowry won from Machilipatnam Lok Sabha in 2019 as YSRCP candidate. Earlier, he was elected from Tenali Lok Sabha seat in 2004 as Congress candidate.
Balashowry was associated with Congress party for a long time and later joined the YSRCP. He won as YSRCP candidate in 2019 but quit the party two months ago due to differences with the YSRCP leaders and joined Jana Sena party.
JSP chief Pawan Kalyan offered the Lok Sabha ticket to Balashowry. He has been campaigning in the Lok Sabha constituency vigorously and urging the voters to vote for him. Besides, the NDA candidates contesting the Assembly polls too are asking the voters to vote for Balashowry.
The Jana Sena is contesting the polls as alliance with the TDP and the BJP. The party candidate Mandali Buddha Prasad is contesting in Avanigadda Assembly constituency, part of Machilipatnam Lok Sabha seat, as part of alliance.
Balashowry has contacts with many mandal and Assembly constituency leaders in Krishna district and getting support from these leaders.
Machilipatnam Lok Sabha seat has seven Assembly constituencies of Machilipatnam, Avanigadda, Pamarru, Gudivada, Gannavaram, Penamaluru and Pedana.
Balashowry is facing the YSRCP candidate Simhadri Chandrasekhar, a famous doctor and son of former minister late Simhadri Satyanarayana in Divi Seema region.
Both Balashowry and Chandrasekhar are Kapu leaders. Kapu, BC, Kamma, Dalit and Muslim voters are in sizeable numbers in Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, JSP president Pawan Kalyan have already campaigned for the victory of Balashowry.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has campaigned in Machilipatnam and appealed to the voters to vote the YSRCP candidate Dr Chandrasekhar in the elections. Simhadri Chandrasekhar is conducting campaign and asked the voters to vote for him in the Lok Sabha elections.