Kiran bid to retain hold on Piler

All eyes are on Piler as it is the only constituency in Chittoor district – the native district of former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy – from where the Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP) is contesting all the six ZPTC seats. Its outcome will be a litmus test for Kiran Kumar Reddy. As any adverse result in the ZP election will have serious repercussions on the image of Kiran Reddy and also on the future of the nascent political outfit, the JSP is making all efforts to ensure the victory of its candidates contesting as independents for the six ZPTC seats Piler, Kalikiri, Kalakada, Valmikipuram, Gurramkonda and KV Palli.

However, the TDP and the YSRCP are not far behind. They are aware that the ZP election is a golden chance to hit the JSP and Kiran Kumar Reddy. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s brother Kishore Kumar Reddy launched a campaign in the six mandals to ensure victory of the JSP candidates. JSP is confident of a win due to his ‘excellent’ performance as MLA, particularly during his three-year stint as Chief Minister, and the phenomenal development of the constituency. It can be said without any doubt that Kalikiri, Kalakada, Valmikipuram, Gurramkonda, KV Palli and Piler witnessed tremendous development with with pucca roads in every village, permanent houses, drinking water supply, scholarships, LPG connections and major institutions like Sainik School and CRPF battalion. Besides, Reddy’s support base has remained more or less intact, barring a few who joined the TDP and the YSRCP. His main supporters K Niranjan Reddy (Valmikipuram), GV Srinatha Reddy (Piler) and others are leading the campaign in their areas.

YSRCP leaders – former minister P Ramachandra Reddy an arch rival of Kiran Kumar, and former MLA Chinthala Ramachandra Reddy whose family (Chinthala) has been at feud with Nallari family for long time – have been working hard for the defeat of JSP. The TDP, which is brimming with confidence as more leaders from other parties are joining it ahead of the general elections, has stepped up its efforts to show its strength on Kiran’s home turf, as the impact of the outcome of ZP election is not limited to Piler constituency alone.

According to observers, the JSP has an edge in Kalikiri, the home town of Kiran Reddy, and also in Gurramkonda and Valmikipuram. It is in a neck-and-neck race with TDP in Kalakada and Piler and giving a stiff fight to both TDP and YSRCP in KV Palli. The polling is slated for April 6 in Madanapalle division, including Piler constituency.