After replacement of candidate, YSRCP faces stiff challenge

Nellore : The YSRCP high command officially finalised the candidature of former MLC Meraga Murali for Gudur Assembly seat by replacing present MLA Velagapalli Varaprasad Rao.

TDP had won from this constituency in 1985, 1994, 1999, and 2009. Those who won from here were Balli Durga Prasad Rao and Jogi Mastanaiah. After formation of YSR Congress party in 2011, that party candidates got elected twice in 2014 and 2019 elections.

Former Gudur Municipal chairman Pasim Sunil Kumar contested on YSRCP ticket and defeated the TDP nominee Dr Bathala Radha Jyothsna Latha with a majority of 9,048 votes in 2014 and Velagapalli Varaprasad Rao (YSRCP) defeated TDP nominee Pasim Sunil Kumar by a huge margin of 45,458 votes in 2019 elections. Pasim Sunil Kumar joined TDP during 2019 elections after he was ignored ticket in YSRCP. This time TDP is said to have zeroed in on Sunil Kumar.

A senior YSRCP leader on the condition of anonymity told The Hans India that it will be an uphill task for the ruling party to win the Gudur seat. He said that now equations have changed after the YSRCP ignored the ticket to Varaprasad Rao. This could affect the chances of the ruling party, he felt.

It may be recalled that the YSRCP high command first proposed the name of Manapati Ravindra Babu working as RDO for the Gudur seat but after stiff resistance by local leaders and party activists, it has finalised the candidature of Meriga Murali, a B Tech engineering graduate for Gudur constituency.