V’nagaram LS seat: YSRCP, TDP gear up for fierce fight

The historic city of Vizianagaram, formerly a Princely State, braces itself for a fierce political showdown as the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP lock horns in the upcoming elections. YSRCP has nominated incumbent MP Bellana Chandrasekhar to contest again for the prestigious Vizianagaram Lok Sabha segment, while TDP has pinned its hopes on Kalisetti Appalanaidu, former head of TDP’s North Andhra internal training centre, renowned for his regional connections. Notably, both candidates hail from the influential Turpu Kapu community, holding considerable sway in the district.
Chandrasekhar, an advocate from Cheepurupalli, won the seat in 2019 by defeating TDP heavyweight Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju. He remains confident in securing re-election, banking on his track record of utilizing MPLAD funds and state welfare schemes to benefit constituents. Appalanaidu, a former journalist and chairman of the Ponduru Market Committee, expressed surprise at his nomination for the Lok Sabha seat. Nevertheless, buoyed by TDP’s solid vote bank across assembly constituencies within the Lok Sabha segment and alliances with JSP and BJP, he is optimistic about his chances.
With 1.563 million voters set to cast their ballots on May 13, the election stakes are high. Caste dynamics, particularly among Turpu Kapus, along with other influential communities like Koppula Velama, Yadava, Telaga, Brahmin, Arya Vysya, Muslims, and Christians, are expected to play pivotal roles. Despite its proximity to Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram grapples with underdevelopment, marked by pending irrigation projects, factory closures, and employment woes, driving youth migration. However, hopes are pinned on the forthcoming Bhogapuram International Airport to spur economic growth through ancillary industries upon its completion.
Mutyala Janardhan Rao, a Retired professor at Andhra University, highlights the neglect of Vizianagaram’s development, attributing it to the electorate’s leniency and leaders’ failure to capitalise on the district’s abundant resources. As accusations fly between major parties over the district’s underdevelopment, the electorate eagerly awaits the outcome, recognizing the critical juncture this election represents for Vizianagaram’s future.