TRS Voditala Sathish Kumar confident of retaining Husnabad

 Husnabad (Siddipet): With the battle lines having been drawn for early Assembly polls, it appears to be a head-to-head confrontation between the TRS and the Congress in Husnabad constituency. This is what the early predictions suggest, irrespective of the fact that whether there would be a poll pact between the Congress, the Telugu Desam and the CPI.  

With TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao reposing his faith in the sitting MLA Voditala Sathish Kumar, the focus now has invariably shifted on to the Congress to announce its candidate. Aligireddy Praveen Reddy, who won in 2009 elections and lost to the TRS in 2014, and Bomma Sriram, son of former MLA Bomma Venkateshwar, are the top contenders for Husnabad ticket from the Congress.

Even though Congress workers strongly believe that Praveen Reddy, the scion of charismatic A K Viswanath Reddy, the founder of Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Bank and Marketing Society Limited, and the current chairman of the bank, is the potential candidate to face the sitting TRS MLA, there is a speculation that as part of alliance the seat would be allotted to the Communist Party of India State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy. It may be noted here that Venkat Reddy had represented Indurthi (now reconstituted as Husnabad) constituency in 2004. It’s learnt that during the preliminary talks with the Congress, the CPI has strongly insisted for Husnabad seat. In such a case, both Praveen Reddy and Bomma Sriram would be out of race. 

The sitting MLA Sathish, son of Rajya Sabha member and former minister Capt V Laxmikantha Rao, is undisputed and noncontroversial. Sathish is confident of regaining his seat. He is banking on several of his achievements in last four years such as polytechnic college, girls’ junior college, separate Gurukul schools for SC, ST, BC and Minorities, revenue division, motor vehicle inspector office, central lighting and bypass roads. Funds for an integrated building to house all government offices were also sanctioned. The ruling party leaders say that the MLA had succeeded in getting funds for the construction of Gouravelli reservoir and Gandipally irrigation project. 

“I am confident of getting Congress ticket,” Aligireddy Praveen Reddy told The Hans India, playing down the TRS’ claims of achieving revenue division, polytechnic college, etc. They all were sanctioned by the Congress government, he added. 

Husnabad/Indurthi is one of those constituencies that TDP had never won. On the other hand, Karimnagar BJP district president Kotha Srinivas Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested in 2009, and Chada Srinivas Reddy of Bheemadevarapally are vying for BJP ticket. 

Changing face of Husnabad: Up until a decade ago, Indurthi (currently Husnabad) constituency was a bastion for the Communists as it ruled the roost in Assembly elections between 1952 and 2004 by winning eight times. Thanks to the Delimitation of Parliamentary & Assembly Constituencies in 2008 that broke the back of the Communists. 

The Delimitation Commission which scrapped Indurthi constituency, created Husnabad constituency with Husnabad, Koheda, Chiguru Mamidi, Saidapur, Bheemadevarapally and Elkathurthy mandals. A change in geographical boundaries of the constituency was a body blow for the Communists and it reflected in the 2009 elections with the Congress wresting the seat from the CPI. In 2014 elections, the TRS’ Voditela Sathish Kumar recorded a thumping victory against the Congress’ Aligireddy Praveen Reddy. 

It may be noted here that Husnabad segment is facing a piquant situation as the constituency is spread across three districts. While Husnabad, Koheda and newly-created Akkannapet mandals fall in Siddipet district, Chiguru Mamidi and Saidapur mandals are in Karimnagar district. The other two – Bheemadevarapally and Elkathurthy mandals come in the ambit of Warangal Urban district.