Sarvepalli may witness triangular contest

Nellore: Sarvepalli constituency will be witnessing a triangular contest this time between YSRCP, TDP-Jana Sena combine and Congress.

The Congress had won from this constituency 6 times, in 1955, 1972, 1978, 1989, 2004 and 2009 and had an average vote share of 50 to 55 per cent. While TDP had won four times, 1983, 1985, 1994 and 1999, with 55 to 60 per cent vote share. YSR Congress Party got elected two times, that was in 2014 and 2019 by securing 45 to 52 per cent vote share.

Since its formation in 1955, Congress has been holding its sway over the constituency till 1978. But after TDP formation, it was mostly the TDP, which has become dominant here. In 2009, there was a triangular fight between Congress, TDP and the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party. After one and a half decade again, there is going to be a triangular contest in Sarvepalli constituency.

According to sources, Congress is likely to give the ticket to senior leader and former MLA Chithuru Venkata Sesha Reddy, popularly known as ‘Seshananna’ from Sarvepalli constituency.

Venkata Sesha Reddy was elected twice on Congress ticket in 1978 against Janata Party candidate Anam Bakthavatsala Reddy with a majority of 21,889 votes and again in 1989 against TDP nominee Poondla Dasaratharami Reddy with a majority of 13,148 votes.

He got defeated by TDP nominee Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy twice in 1994 and 1999 with a margin of 33,775 (1994) and 16,092 (1999) votes.

In 2009 elections, Venkata Sesha Reddy contested as PRP candidate, which resulted the split in TDP votes that made Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy to lose the election with a margin of 10,289 votes in the hands of Congress nominee Adala Prabhakara Reddy. In that elections, CV Sesha Reddy secured 11,553 votes. After the AP State bifurcation, YSRCP snatched away Congress votes and Kakani Govardhan Reddy got elected from Sarvepalli constituency twice in 2014 and 2019 elections, defeating TDP nominee Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy with a majority of just 5,546 votes (2014) and 13,793 votes (2019).

This time political equations are different. If Congress fields CV Sesha Reddy, it might have to face trouble as there will be a danger of denting in about 10,000 votes from YSRCP vote bank. This point coupled with anti-incumbency factor may help TDP to have an edge in 2024 elections. TDP has better chances of winning from this constituency if it fields Anam Ramanarayana Reddy as its candidate.