Hindupur constituency, loyal to TDP from 1985

Hindupur (Anantapur): Hindupur Assembly constituency, the star constituency which elected the legendary actor turned politician and former Chief Minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao more than 3 decades ago had stood loyal to TDP and N T Rama Rao's family since 1985 to 2014.

Hindupur elected Rama Rao as its MLA in 1985, 1989 and 1994. In 1996, Nandamuri Hari Krishna was elected as MLA. In 2004, Pamisetty Ranganayakulu of TDP was elected as MLA and in 2009, Abdul Ghani of TDP won as MLA.

In 2014, Nandamuri Balakrishna was elected as MLA and continuing their family and party's sway over the constituency people. In 1983, P Ranganayakulu contested as an independent in Hindupur and won. In 2004, the same Ranganayakulu contested on behalf of TDP and won.

Presently there is a talk of likelihood of Nara Lokesh being fielded as a candidate in place of N Balakrishna. Actually, there was discontentment against MLA Balakrishna for not visiting the constituency and for being indifferent towards local problems.

For the last four-and-a-half years, Balakrishna's personal assistant was acting as a de facto MLA. Recently, Balakrishna turned the tide in his favour by attending to local problems and bringing funds for the crucial water scheme to quench the thirst of local populace.

For the 2019 Assembly elections, the TDP candidate for Hindupur could be either Balakrishna or Lokesh. For YSRCP, former TDP MLA Abdul Ghani who joined the YSRCP is expected to be the probable candidate.

The BJP has some presence in the town but does not have the strength to win an election. Jana Sena has no takers here as the voters’ loyalty is for the NTR clan or their nominees. Jana Sena does not have organisational structure anywhere in the district except teen age fans, who make noise only when Pawan Kalyan visits the district.

This is probably the only constituency in the State where TDP can declare its seat even before polling of votes. Even in 2004, when Congress popularity was at its peak under the leadership of Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the Hindupur voters elected only a TDP candidate. For the TDP, the sun never sets here.