Mandapeta may become Kamma-Kapu battlefield

Rajamahendravaram: Mandapeta Assembly constituency in Konaseema district is one of the Assembly segments of Amalapuram Lok Sabha constituency. Originally, it was part of Pamarru constituency but after the delimitation exercise, it became as Alamuru. In 2008, the Alamuru constituency was abolished and the Mandapeta constituency was formed.

This constituency consists of Mandapeta Municipality, Mandapeta, Rayavaram and Kapileswarapuram mandals. As of 2019, the constituency has a total of 2,14,324 voters. While the Kapus are the majority, BC and SC communities are the decisive factor here. Since the beginning, the political dominance of the Kamma caste has been the hallmark of this constituency.

Elections were held seven times from 1978 to 2004 when it was Alamuru. Congress candidate Sangitha Venkata Reddy won in 1978 and 1989 elections, Valluri Narayana Murthy from TDP won in the 1983 and 1985 elections, and TDP candidate V V S Chowdary got elected twice in the 1994 and 1999 elections. In 1989, Sangitha Venkata Reddy from Kapu community was elevated as a minister.

After it became Mandapeta constituency in 2008, three elections were held here. In 2009, 2014, and 2019, TDP candidate Vegulla Jogeswara Rao achieved a hat trick with consecutive victories.

According to party sources, the ticket for Vegulla Jogeswara Rao, who belongs to Kamma community, has almost been finalised from TDP. On the other hand, YSRCP is yet to decide on its candidate. It is trying to field a strong Kapu candidate.

In the 2014 election, the former MP Girajala Venkata Swaminayudu from Kapu community contested as YSRCP nominee. In 2019 election, former minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose (BC) was fielded from this constituency but he lost to TDP.

It is learnt that this time YSRCP high command has decided to bring Thota Trimurtuu into the fray.

Mandapet is well-known as a business centre. There are rice mills and oil factories here. Tapeswaram village famous for making the most famous sweet Kaja. Tapeswaram had also become popular for making the biggest laddus during Ganesh navaratri celeberations both in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and this practice has been going on even after the bifurcation of the state.

Farmers here have gained national recognition for their breeding of high milk-yielding cattle and their success in bull riding competitions. Famous places like Zamindar's Fort in Kapileswarapuram, Vedic School, Dvarapudi Ayyappa temple, popularly known as Andhra Sabarimalai and Vedurupaka Peetham are located in this constituency.

Vedurupaka has shot into lime light as Srinivasa Sastry got the silver Padukas each weighing over 12 kg and is carrying them on his head covering a distance of about 1300 kms by foot to present to Lord Rama at the Ram Janmabhoomi Ayodha temple.

This constituency is famous for rice mills, brick kilns, and poultry farms. Mandapeta is one of the most rice-growing areas in the Godavari Delta. There are about 50 rice mills here. Although there are rice mills nearby, farmers are facing difficulties due to a lack of proper support prices. Due to the pollution coming out from the rice mills around Mandapeta, the locals are suffering a lot. The road at Tapeswaram is in bad condition. Beteween Kadiyam and Ramachandrapuram there are any number of potholes but road is not to be found.