Reddys battle it out on BC turf

The Congress is fielding senior leader S Jaipal Reddy, the TRS announced the candidature of A Jitendar Reddy while BJP leader N Janardhan Reddy will test Lok Sabha waters this time.

The interesting aspect here is that this constituency is that it is predominantly the Backward Class (BC) voters, who will decide the fate of the contestants. The BC voters constitute 60 per cent of the total 6, 96 lakh voters and the minorities are about 12 to 14 per cent in the Lok Sabha constituency.

The major task before the contestants is to woo this decisive section of which the major percentage comprises of migrant labourers and small farmers. The ‘Palamuru’ workers migrate across the country for their livelihood. The plight of migrant workers will cast ominous impact on the outcome.

The parties are vying with each other in making several promises to provide self employment to the migrant laborers in their respective villages but it remains an unfulfilled promise for the past six decades.

Jaipal Reddy is not new to the Mahabubnagar having represented it in the Lower House earlier on. He was also the Congress MLA from Kalwakurthy between 1969 and 1984.

Jitender Reddy will be contesting for the second time here. In 1999 election he won the Lok Sabha seat from BJP. He also contested from Chevella in 2009 election but lost to Jaipal Reddy.

Janardhan Reddy, considered a strong leader in the district, joined BJP after TDP took a U turn on the Telangana issue in 2011. He contested and won the by-election from Nagar Kurnool Assembly seat in 2012.

Of the seven Assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha segment, the TDP won Jadcharla, Devarakadhra, Makthal, Kodangal and Narayanpet and the Congress and BJP won Shadnagar and Mahbunagar constituencies respectively in 2009 election.