Caste turns deciding factor for candidates

Kakinada : In view of large population of Kamma voters in Kakinada Parliamentary constituency, almost all the political parties field candidates of the same community.

The constituency was formed in 1952 and has seven Assembly constituencies - Kakinada Rural, Kakinada city, Jaggampeta, Tuni, Pithapuram, Peddapuram and Prathipadu.

Mosalikanti Tirumala Rao, a Brahmin, had won three times as MP from 1957 to 1971 and he also served as Union Minister. After him, all MPs elected were from Kapu community. In 1998, UV Krishnam Raju (Kshatriya) won as BJP candidate with the support of prominent Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham. But in the elections held 13 months later, Krishnam Raju was moved to Narsapuram and Mudragada Padmanabham contested from Kakinada as TDP candidate (in alliance with BJP) and won.

Others, who represented the constituency and were inducted into the Union Cabinet were Mallipudi Rama Sanjeeva Rao and Mallipudi Mangapati Pallam Raju.

Presently Vanga Geetha is Kakinada YSRCP MP. Recently, party high command had shifted her to Pithapuram Assembly as coordinator. It is learnt that Sunil Chalamalasetti's candidature from YSRCP will be finalised. Sunil has contested for the same MP seat thrice so far but failed to win. He contested for Lok Sabha from the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party in 2009, from YSRCP in 2014 and on Telugu Desam Party ticket in 2019.

This time, TDP supremo is likely to give Kakinada MP seat to Jana Sena Party as part of the alliance. It is heard from party sources that Sana Satish is in the race for the ticket.

Meanwhile, BJP recently received applications from the aspirants through party observers. Kakinada district BJP president Chilukuri Ram Kumar along with Vetukuri Suryanarayana Raju, Gatti Satyanarayana, and P Ravi Kiran were among the aspirants.

Indications show that either Chilukuri Ram Kumar or Vetukuri Suryanarayana Raju may be finalised as the MP candidate. Gatti Satyanarayana's name is said to be under consideration for the Kakinada City Assembly seat.