Candidates to break decade-long pattern followed in Pendurthi

Visakhapatnam : Every election, the voters’ decision plays a crucial in electing an MLA in Pendurthi constituency. However, what turns out to be a unique feature in the constituency is that the seat saw no repetition of MLAs who served here once.

But this time, the trend followed for four-and-a-half decades is going to be broken in the 2024 polls. From 1978 to 2019, the contestants who were fielded in the constituency won only once.

However, sitting MLA Annamreddy Adeep Raj won from Pendurthi in 2019 polls from YSRCP ticket, while Panchakarla Ramesh Babu won from the Praja Rajyam Party in 2009. In 2024 polls, both of them were pitched again in the constituency. However, Ramesh Babu contested from TDP-BJP-JSP alliance this time. So far, 11 candidates served as MLAs in the seat. In 1978, Gudivada Appanna from Congress won in the election.

During the 1980 bypolls, Dronamraju Satyanarayana from the same party emerged victorious.

Later, P Appalanarasimham, Alla Rama Chandra Rao, Gudivada Gurunadha Rao, M Anjaneyulu, P G V R Naidu, Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy, Panchakarla Ramesh Babu, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, Annamreddy Adeep Raj won in the constituency in subsequent polls. Panchakarla Ramesh won the seat from Praja Rajyam Party ticket. His opponents were Gandi Babji from Congress, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy from the TDP. Ramesh Babu won with a majority of 3,272 votes as an MLA for the first time in 2009. In 2014, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy from TDP won against Gandi Babji of the YSRCP with a majority of 18,648 votes.

In 2019, the poll battle was among Annamreddy Adeep Raj from the YSRCP, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy from the TDP and Chintalapudi Venkataramaiah from the JSP. However, with 28,860 majority of votes, Adeep Raj emerged victorious. The candidates who had won once here subsequently lost in the following elections. Also, the constituency has a history of electing both senior politicians and those who were unknown among the masses.

Pendurthi was one of the largest constituencies in the state till 2004. It was the second largest constituency in the undivided Andhra Pradesh. As part of the delimitation process, the segment’s majority of areas were merged with other constituencies. With the formation of new districts, the segment falls under Anakapalli district. However, the government has taken a decision to continue Pendurthi revenue mandal in Visakhapatnam district. With this, the constituency has come under the jurisdiction of two districts. As a result, Pendurthi MLA has to work in two districts.

Apparently, who is going to win in 2024 polls turns out to be a hot debate among political circles as whoever wins in the seat is going to break the decade-long pattern of not repeating the same MLA here.