Rajahmundry Rural outcome hinges on caste mobilisation

Rajamahendravaram : A close fight is on cards in Rajahmundry Rural where TDP sailed through despite YSRCP wave in 2019. The Rajahmundry Rural constituency is considered a bastion for TDP as the party continued to winning spree there since the formation of constituency after delimitation in 2009.

Chandana Ramesh won on behalf of TDP in 2009 and Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary has won the next two elections in 2014 and 2019. A political giant, Butchaiah Chowdary was successful as Rajahmundry MLA four times and Rajahmundry Rural MLA twice since 1982. The TDP politburo member and former minister is once again trying his luck in Rajahmundry Rural.

His opponent is BC welfare, information and public relations and cinematography minister Chelluboina Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna. Butchiah is the leader of the Kamma community while his opponent Venugopala Krishna belongs to the BC (Settibalija) caste. As part of the BC mantra being adopted by the YSRCP, Rajahmundry City has been allotted to Margani Bharat (BC-Gowda) and Rural to the Venu. Dr. Guduru Srinivas (BC-Gowda) has been finalised as Rajahmundry MP.

By putting Kapus in Kakinada and Gowda-Settibalija candidates in Rajahmundry, theYSRCP conducting its new experiment in social engineering in this elections.

Minister Chelluboina Venu who won as MLA from Ramachandrapuram in the last election, has been transferred to Rajahmundry Rural this time. It is an open secret that Venu was shifted due to severe differences with senior YSRCP leader Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose. However, for the last one month, Venu has become a strong candidate in the Rajahmundry Rural with his continuous tours and huge meetings with the people.

He faced criticisms that he was misusing power and acting as minister for only his constituency not as minister for the entire state. But he is confident that BC mantra will work in his favour even though he very well knows that it will not be easy to defeat Butchaiah, a veteran leader. BC voters played a major role in Butchaiah's victory in Rajahmundry Rural constituency in the last two elections. But this time they are expected to support Venu. Kapus and BC voters are in majority in Rajahmundry Rural constituency.

If the BCs opt for Venu, it will be imperative for the TDP-Jana Sena alliance to mobilise the support of Kapu voters. But Jana Sena district president Kandula Durgesh may not be enthusiastic in this task, as he was denied ticket from the constituency and was forced to go to Nidadavolu.

The cooperation of Kandula Durgesh, who has a solid reputation among the Kapus in the constituency is indispensable for Butchaiah if he has to win. Likewise, Durgesh, who is not a native of Nidadavolu, needed the support of Butchaiah to get the support of TDP leaders there. TDP sources say Butchaiah has already played his role in bringing together TDP and Jana Sena in Nidadavoleu to see that Durgesh succeeds. On the other hand, the leaders of various castes have started efforts to ensure that some castes in the BCs extend support to Butchaiah.

But for Butchaiah has been away from the constituency for the last two-and-a-half years for personal reasons. TDP sources say that he has to overcome the dissatisfaction across the constituency over this. In Rajahmundry Rural, it is widely felt that the senior leader of TDP is facing a tough competition as the outcome will be decided by caste mobilisation.