MSP, water deciding factors in Sompeta

Srikakulam: Great leaders in the country and top personalities had served as MLAs from Sompeta Assembly constituency. In 1952, freedom fighter Gouthu Latchanna was elected as MLA from Krishikar Lok Party (KLP). He was elected for the second time in 1955. In 1962, Latchanna contested as Swatantra Party candidate and won the election. Again, he won as independent candidate in 1967. In 1978 election, Gouthu Latchanna restored his seat as Janata Party candidate. Latchanna elected five times.

In 1972, another great leader Majji Tulasi Das was elected and he later became the APCC president. Even during TDP wave in 1983, Majji Narayana Rao of Congress got elected.

In 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2004 elections. Gouthu Syama Sundara Sivaji represented the constituency as TDP MLA. In 2004, Sivaji withstood Congress wave and got elected on TDP ticket. Sivaji is the son of Gouthu Latchanna.

By 2009, Sompeta segment lost its existence and became Palasa constituency. In 2014 elections, Sivaji was successful in getting elected for sixth time. In total, he contested as TDP candidate five times and once as independent.

In 2019 elections, YSRCP nominee Seediri Appala Raju defeated the TDP candidate. He is now Minister in YSRCP cabinet. Now, TDP is making all efforts to restore its position here.

There are two main issues that now emerged as the key factors in Palasa segment. First one is farmers’ demand to provide minimum support price for cashew nuts. Cashew processing units’ owners procuring raw cashews from foreign countries had made the farmers unable to dispose their produce. Hence, they were forced to sell their produce for low prices like Rs 7,000 per 80 kg bag. But the farmers are demanding at least Rs 16,000 as minimum support price for cashew.

Another issue that has been plaguing is lack of water supply for tail end area fields of Vamsadhara river water project. Every year during Kharif, it became a regular phenomenon for farmers of this segment to submit representations to the officials and people representatives, demanding water supply for their crops. These two major issues will be the key points for election campaign for the prime parties.