Godavari Districts To Power YSRCP To Victory

The two districts of East and West Godavari, between them hold as many as 34 seats, 19 in east and 15 in West. It is widely believed that this large chunk will determine the formation of a government in the state. The TDP was powered to victory by a small margin in the state, thanks to its showing in the twin districts of Godavari in 2014. The catch however, for the Telugu Desam party this time around is that its candidates are finding it increasingly difficult to battle the YSR Congress party wave sweeping across the twin districts.

The TDP seems to be at a loss in both the districts because in 2014 the TDP-BJP alliance backed by Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena, had won as many as 28 out of the 34 seats in the two districts. The YSR Congress party on the other hand, won only five of the 34 seats in the districts.

It is largely believed that the twin districts hold the key to the next government in the state. The YSR Congress party gained tremendous strength at the grassroots level in every single constituency. Moreover, the overwhelming response which the YSR Congress party president, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mass contact initiative, Praja Sankalpa Yatra evoked, stunned the ruling TDP back then. The sea of humanity which crossed the rail-cum-road bridge at Rajahmundry on June 12, 2018, during YS Jagan's historic Praja Sankalpa Yatra, shook the ruling TDP to its core. It galvanised the YSR Congress party workers across the two Godavari districts in the state and proved to be a pointer to the shape of things to come in the 2019 elections.

Chandrababu Naidu is desperately resorting to strategies like a clandestine pact with Jana Sena, hoping that Pawan Kalyan would help in splitting the YSRCP votes, especially among the Kapus and BC communities. Pawan Kalyan is contesting from Bhimavaram assembly constituency which was held by TDP's Pulaparthi Ramanjaneyulu (Anji Babu), who defeated YSRCP's Grandhi Srinivas, who is taking on Pawan Kalyan again. While Pawan Kalyan is seen an actor who makes guest appearances here, Srinivas, who also belongs to the Kapu community, has a deep grassroots connect with the people of the constituency.

Moreover, locals are of the opinion that the Jana Sena is a front for the TDP. They openly state the view that voting for Jana Sena is the same as voting for the ruling party.

YSRCP has made inroads into many of the TDP strongholds such Peddapuram, where its candidate, Thota Vani, takes on TDP’s powerful Dy. CM Chinnarajappa, who is facing massive anti-incumbency. The Kapu fight is seen to favour the YSRCP candidate, as things stand. Thota Vani's husband, Narsimham, won the Lok Sabha election in 2014 from Kakinada. He and Vani left the TDP after feeling humilated by Chandrababu and other TDP leaders, following Narsimham's illness.

Similarly, in Mummidivaram constituency of East Godavari, the YSR Congress party candidate, P. Venkata Satish Kumar, has a clear edge over his opponent from the TDP. In Amalapuram (SC) reserved constituency, analysts are backing the YSRCP candidate, Visawarupu Pinipe over TDP’s Aithabathula Anandarao who won the seat in 2014. In Jaggampet where the YSRCP won in 2014, its candidate, Jyothula Chanti Babu is a popular local figure with a clear advantage. Similarly, YSRCP's Parvatu Purnachandra Prasad is a strong candidate from Prathipadu constituency fielded by YSRCP in a seat which it had won in 2014.

This is also true of Ramalingeswara Rao Dadisetti (Dadidsetti Raja), who is a powerful local leader and the sitting MLA from Tuni. He has been renominated by the YSRCP and is considered to be a local heavyweight set to retain the seat. In Rajanagaram constituency of East Godavari, Jakkampudi Raja has a strong advantage with the YSRCP gaining tremendous momentum in the district where the party had won 5 seats in 2014 out of 19.

While Akula Satyanarayana of the BJP won the Rajahmundry city seat in the alliance with TDP in 2014, YSRCP’s Routhu Suryaprakasa Rao is a powerful local figure who has an edge in this electoral battle. In Kakinada city of the district Dwarampudi Chandrashekar Reddy of YSRCP is ready to take on the TDP candidate. In 2014 Chandrashekar Reddy was the runner-up from this constituency.

In Denduluru, the TDP MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar has earned notoriety over the years with his controversial behaviour and comments. He faces a tough fight this time around with the voters of the area turning away from the ruling TDP. YSRCP's Kotaru Abbayya Chowdary exudes confidence on his election campaign and understandably so. Similarly, Chavatapalli Satyanarayana Murthy (Dr. Babji) of YSRCP is on a strong footing in Palakollu in West Godavari district.

YSRCP's graph has been climbing when it comes to the Lok Sabha constituencies in the districts as well. In Eluru constituency of West Godavari district for instance, it has fielded Kotagiri Sridhar, whose father Vidyadhar Rao was a popular local leader. Raghuram Krishnamraju of the YSRCP is way ahead of his opponents in Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency. Margani Bharat, the YSRCP candidate from Rajahmundry belongs to a BC community and has been extremely successful in connecting with the locals here.

For the Amalapuram (SC) reserved, Lok Sabha seat YSRCP's Chinta Anuradha, whose father Krishnamurthy was a leader of great standing in these parts.

As things appear to shape, YSR Congress Party has an edge in the twin districts of Godavari. The Telugu Desam party's panic seem to stem from this fact.

Also Read: Chandrababu Naidu’s Multi-Pronged Strategy To Divide YSRCP Voter Base