YSRCP bent on wresting Itchapuram from TDP

Srikakulam : Opposition TDP is having a strong grip on Itchapuram Assembly constituency and even in YSRCP wave TDP candidate Dr Bendalam Ashok won twice in 2014 and 2019 elections.

This time the YSRCP is making all out efforts to break this jinx and win Itchapuram. TDP sitting MLA Bendalam Ashok and his nearest rival YSRCP rival Piriya Sairaj, who are likely to fight again, belong to Buragana Kalinga community. Sairaj had won from this constituency on TDP ticket in 2009.

Buragana Kalinga, Reddika, Yadava and fishermen communities are the dominant sections.

To woo all the four communities, YSRCP high command had accommodated Narthu Rama Rao from Yadava community for the post of MLC.

Some members of Reddika community were given nominated posts. For fishermen community, Seediri Appala Raju was given a berth in the Cabinet. As these three communities, Yadava, Reddika and fishermen, were given representation at different levels, the ruling party feels that the social engineering will this time help them win the seat and thereby break the hold of TDP. On the other hand, TDP candidate Ashok and his family enjoy goodwill among people and TDP has a strong cadre as former central minister and TDP senior leader late Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu, and father of Ashok late Bendalam Prakash built up the party cadres here.

TDP candidates had won eight elections from here and Congress won only one election in 2004 when there was Y S Rajasekhara Reddy wave.