Kurupam still headed by two zamindari families

Kurupam (Parvathipuram Manyam): Kuurupam Assembly constituency is a newly formed segment in 2019 in the place of Nagur constituency and reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST). Interestingly, most of the areas in Nagur were merged with Kurupam. At present Garugubilli, Jiyammavalasa, Komarada, Kurupam and GL Puram mandals come under this constituency.

Actually, Naguru Assembly constituency was headed by two tribal Zamindars, either by Satrucharla or Vyricherla families. Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju won five times as MLA from Congress and worked as Minister for Forests, Environment and Transport in the late CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s cabinet.

Similarly, Vyricherla Kishore Chandra Deo also won five times as MP from Socialist Congress and Indian National Congress from Parvathipuram Lok Sabha constituency and worked as Minister in both Congress and Janata governments. This segment is now known as Kurupam and scions of Vijayarama Raju continue to represent the constituency for last one decade or more.

Later, both the veteran leaders – Vijayarama Raju and Kishore Chandra Deo - shifted their loyalty to TDP. Vijayarama Raju became MLC and Deo contested for MP seat from Araku Lok Sabha constituency but was defeated.

At present, P Pushpa Srivani of YSR Congress Party is heading this segment. She won in 2014 and 2019 and even worked as Minister in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet as Tribal Welfare Minister for two and half years.

The rural population becomes the deciding factor here during polls. Around 1.9 Lakh voters will decide the fate of the contestants and tribal-related issues would form the main agenda for this constituency. People of this constituency have been facing lot of problems due to lack of bridges on small rivers and springs, without roads to remote areas and no facility to supply drinking water to hilltop areas. No development took place despite several promises given by the YSRCP before last elections.

Unemployment is yet another major problem in this area as there are no industries here, forcing the local youth to migrate to other places like Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Madras. Agriculture and labour work in farming are the only income sources for the locals.

Janjhavathi rubber dam, Thotapalli reservoir and Venkateswara Swamy temple in Thotapalli are the famous places and projects. Janarthan Thatraj of Indian National Congress was the first MLA after the formation of this constituency in 2019. He is the niece of Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju.

In 2014 elections, Pushpa Srivani won from YSRCP. Srivani may contest again from YSRCP, while Toyaka Jagadeeswari is expected to contest from TDP.

Pushpa Srivani is being mentored by VIjayarama Raju and busy reaching people and trying to get their support in the coming elections.