TDP hopes Prashanthi will end Prasanna’s hold on Kovuru
People of Gummaladibba village in Kovuru constituency call on Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy and her husband Prabhakar Reddy to express their support on Tuesday
Nellore: A mega poll battle awaits in Kovuru Assembly constituency as both ruling YSRCP and opposition TDP are moving earth and heaven to secure victory in 2024 elections.
Winning is not going to be a cakewalk for Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy this time as his rival now is formidable Vemireddy Prasanthi Reddy, wife of Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who is in Nellore Lok Sabha fray. Until recently, she was TTD Advisory Board chairperson in Delhi and a complete novice for politics.
It is first time TDP fielding a woman candidate for any Assembly seat in the district.
Praja Rajyam Party fielded a woman candidate Tupakula Menemma, an ST, against TDP nominee Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy in 2009 in Kovuru. The TDP is repeating the same after 15 years.
YSRCP renominated Prasanna Kumar Reddy as he reportedly got positive feedback in I-PAC survey. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has decided to field Prashanthi taking into consideration her family’s influence in district politics. He convinced former Kovuru MLA Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy’s son Dinesh Reddy to make way for Prashanthi Reddy in order to put an end to domination of YSRCP and Prasanna Kumar Reddy in the constituency.
The TDP’s fate has changed after Prasanna Kumar Reddy joined the party following the death of his father Srinivasulu Reddy in 1992. He defeated Congress candidate Pellakuru Ramachandra Reddy in byelection that year. Since then, he won the seat three times in a row in 1994,1999 and 2009 on TDP ticket.
However, Prasanna Kumar Reddy joined YSRCP in 2011 following differences with Chandrababu Naidu. He won there in 2012 byelection defeating his TDP political rival Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and in 2019 against Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy.
Earlier, he was defeated by Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy (Congress) in 2004 and in 2014 (this time Srinivasulu Reddy was TDP nominee).
It will be a tough task for TDP winning Kovuru but the party is confident of regaining its past glory by ensuring victory of Vemireddy Prasanthi Reddy this time.
As Kovuru constituency is native of her husband Vemireddy Prabhakara Reddy, Prasanthi Reddy is confident of winning the elections. On the other hand, Prasananna Kumar Reddy is certain of retaining the seat for the 6th time in view of the strong grip his family has on the regio for the last 40 years though they are not locals. (Kota is Nallapureddy family’s native place).
It may be recalled that Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy's father Nallapureddy Srinivasulu Reddy was elected for three times, twice on TDP ticket, once on Congress ticket.