Despite being home to bigwigs, Vemuru sees no development

Guntur: Former chief minister Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, former ministers Alapati Dharma Rao, Yadlapati Venkata Rao, Alapati Rajendra Prasad, Nakka Anand Babu and minister for social welfare Merugu Nagarjuna represented the prestigious Vemuru Assembly constituency in Bapatla district.

After delimitation in 2009, the constituency was reserved for SCs. Former chief minister Konijeti Rosaiah was also from this constituency. Kalluru Chandramouli was elected from this seat in 1955 and 1962. Former minister Yadlapati Venkata Rao was elected 1967,1972 and 1978.

In 1983, former chief minister Bhaskara Rao got elected to the Assembly as TDP candidate.

Among others who got elected were Alapati Dharma Rao in 1989, Alapati Rajendra Prasad in 1994 and 1999 and Nakka Anand Babu in 2009 and 2014. Vemuru, Kolluru, Tsunduru, Bhattiprolu and Amruthalur mandals fall under this Assembly constituency.

There are 1,94,748 voters in the constituency. SC voters are the major vote bank followed by Kapus, Reddy and Kamma communities.

Kolluru is famous for sand reaches. Illegal sand mining goes unchecked. Bhattiprolu is famous for handlooms. Weavers weave cotton saris. Earlier, students from this constituency went to Chennai in pursuit of higher education.

Road infrastructure was not developed in the constituency. Though paddy, turmeric and horticulture are the important crops in the constituency, there is little to boast about agro-based industries. The famous Jampani Sugar Factory was the only important unit but after it was closed, no other industry worth its name had been set up here.

For employment, the people in the constituency go to nearest Sangam Dairy and Vignan’s University and shops and establishments in Tenali and Bapatla. The constituency has train connectivity with Chennai and Vijayawada.

YSRCP appointed social welfare minister Merugu Nagarjuna as in-charge for Santhanuthalapadu constituency based on the IPac survey report. Ashok Babu has been appointed as Vemuru Assembly constituency in-charge and is preparing to contest in the coming Assembly elections. Ruling YSRCP is depending on the support of beneficiaries of welfare schemes for its electoral success. SCs, STs and minorities are strong numerically in the constituency.

Meanwhile, TDP politburo member Nakka Anand Babu is actively organising party programmes in the constituency and campaigning against the failures and corruption of the YSRCP government. He is most likely to be fielded by the party in the coming Assembly elections.