Narsaraopet LS 2019 : Rayapati On A Slippery Slope In Final Electoral Fight

Narasaraopet / Guntur: Narasaraopet Parliamentary is located in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. As per the estimates of 2011 census, out of a total 20,41,723 population 77.54% is rural and 22.46% is urban.

According to the voter list of 2018, there are 15,03,554 voters and 1828 polling stations in this constituency. Voter turnout in the 2014 Parliamentary election was 84.68% whereas it was 79.52% in 2009 Parliamentary Election.

The INC, the TDP and the YSRCP got 1.79%, 49.33% and 46.58% votes respectively in 2014-parliamentary election while The BJP, the INC and the TDP got 0.66%, 42.69% and 42.83% in 2009-parliamentary election respectively.

Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency comprises the following Assembly Constituencies Pedakurapadu,,Chilakaluripet,Narasaraopet,Sattenapalle,Vinukonda,Gurajala and Macherla. Sambasiva Rao Rayapati (TDP), a wealthy businessman is the present Lok Sabha MP of Narasaraopet Parliamentary Constituency. Narasaraopet has been a Congress stronghold from its early years, where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP managed to wrest it for about four times.

Guntur is primarily an agrarian economy, surviving on agriculture as the major occupation in the region which is spread over 11,391 sq km of land and housing a total of 4,889,230 people (2011 Census).

The incumbent Sambasiva Rao Rayapati of the TDP has been re- nominated for the second time after a a high drama where the senior TDP politician was left fuming as his name was not mentioned in the first list. In what could be this final appearance in politics ,the heavy weight Rayapati will be testing his luck at the hustings again. Another heavy weight and former TDP leader and minister who jumped to the BJP, Kanna Lakshminarayana was named as the BJP candidate.

YSRCP candidate Lavu Krishnadevarayalu is the son of Dr Lavu Rathaiah the founder of Vignan group of Educational institutes. A prominent educationist and entrepreneur, Australia-educated Krishnadevarayulu who worked as the YSRCP Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency in-charge has a sizeable following in the region. He has been active protesting against the ruling government's apathy towards the drinking water issue and irrigation projects which are yet to take off in the Guntur district. Apart from a strong financial background, he is quite popular with the local youth.

The YSRCP leaders come with a fresh vision, and zeal coupled with leadership capabilities, which could be an added advantage for him. So its two heavyweights- Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and Kanna Lakshminarayana vs the young leader for the Narasaraopet 2019 Lok Sabha Elections...

Also Read: LS Polls 2019: Narsapuram A Triangular Fight Between YSRCP, TDP and JSP