Bapatla: JD Seelam likely Congress candidate

Bapatla : Former Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi and former MP Sriram Malyadri are among the key aspirants, who are trying to contest on TDP ticket from Bapatla constituency. Former Union Minister and Congress leader JD Seelam is likely the party candidate while YSCP is yet to finalise candidate from Lok Sabha.

This constituency is known to have sent many prominent people to Parliament and Assembly. Former Chief Minister Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, former Union Ministers Pamulapati Ankineedu Prasad, JD Seelam, Panabaka Lakshmi, Daggubati Purandeswari, Dr Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, former MPs Dr Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, Daggubati Rama Naidu and Sri Ram Malyadri represented the constituency.

Similarly, former Election Commissioner GVG Krishna Murthy and veteran freedom fighter Duggirala Gopala Krishnaiah, who launched Chirala and Perala agitation against the imposition of taxes by British government also belongs to this place.

After delimitation of constituencies in 2009, Bapatla Lok Sabha constituency was reserved for SCs. Vemuru, Repalle, Bapatla, Parchuru, Addanki, Chirala and Santhanuthalapadu Assembly constituencies come under this Lok Sabha constituency.

Former CM and former Governor K Rosaiah and former Maharashtra Governor Kona Prabhakara Rao worked as Ministers in the State. Former member of Rajya Sabha Pragada Kotaiah was also from here. After delimitation in 2009, in every Lok Sabha election, political parties have been changing candidates during every election. Minister for Social Welfare Merugu Nagarjuna represents Vemuru Assembly constituency under Bapatla Lok Sabha constituency.

At present, Nandigam Suresh is representing the constituency but is facing several allegations like his involvement in sand quarrying. It is also criticised that Suresh failed to develop the constituency.

Though Bapatla Urban Development Authority was formed, there is no sufficient machinery for development of infrastructure within the purview of BUDA.