Visakhapatnam: It’s going to be tough for 2 ‘undefeated’ candidates

Visakhapatnam: Two candidates, who never tasted defeat in their entire political career, crossed swords in Visakhapatnam in 2024 polls.

Except their surnames that are different, they share the same name and belong to the same community as well.

While one candidate belongs to the ruling party, the other is from the BJP-TDP-JSP alliance.

At Bheemunipatnam, the battle is between TDP senior leader and former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and YSRCP former minister and sitting MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, also known as Avanthi, who served as a tourism minister as well.

Back in 2009, both of them contested from Praja Rajyam Party and won as MLAs. Now, they competed as rivals. Having a firm grip over the segment, both the leaders have cadre in Bheemili as they served as ministers in the past.

While Ganta Srinivasa Rao served the people of Bheemili as an MLA, Avanthi worked for the development of the constituency as a sitting MLA as well as the minister. Avanthi ventured into politics in 2009 as an MLA from Bheemili on behalf of the Praja Rajyam Party, contested in the elections for the first time and won. Since then, he has been consistently winning in every election without facing a defeat.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Avanthi served as an MP from the Anakapalli Parliamentary constituency. So far, Avanthi won twice as an MLA and once as an MP.

Back in 1999, Ganta Srinivasa Rao was elected as an MP of Anakapalli Lok Sabha constituency. In 2004, he was elected as Chodavaram MLA on TDP ticket. He served as a HRD Minister till 2019.

In the 2019 election, Ganta Srinivasa Rao won against KK Raju as the candidate of Visakhapatnam north constituency on TDP ticket. So far, he has not repeated the constituency he contested earlier. Breaking this pattern, Ganta Srinivasa Rao contested from Bheemili for the second time much in alignment with his aspiration.

But TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu wanted Ganta Srinivasa Rao to contest in Cheepurupalli against Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana.

However, Ganta Srinivasa Rao was not keen on contesting from Cheepurupalli, considering the logistic issues and other equations.In the last list of candidates announced by the TDP, his name surfaced as Bheemili candidate.

This is the first time Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Avanthi crossed swords in the same segment. Given their seniority and track record, it is tough to forecast who would win in the segment as it is not going to be easy for both of them.

Although both the candidates in Bheemili are confident of winning in the 2024 polls, one of them have to face a defeat for the first time in their political career.