Neck-and-neck fight likely between TDP, YSRCP

Rayadurgam (Anantapur): The total population of Rayadurgam is 3,19,479 out of which 80.67 per cent is rural and 19.33 per cent is urban. The scheduled castes and scheduled tribes ratio is 14.05 and 1.72 per cent respectively. As per voter list of 2018, there are 2,27,929 voters and 270 polling stations.

The voter turnout in 2014 Assembly election was 85.44 per cent and for Lok Sabha election 85.09 per cent. The BJP, Congress, YSRCP and TDP secured 0 percent, 1.42 percent, 46.96 percent and 48.23 per cent respectively in 2014 Parliamentary election.

The backward Rayadurgam Assembly constituency had remained underdeveloped for a long time but with the TDP government bringing Handri- Neeva water to even Rayadurgam area much of the agriculture land had been brought under irrigation making the farmers prosperous and lands turning fertile. The Assembly constituency is presently represented by Kalava Srinivasulu, a journalist-turned-politician who in 1999 made his debut into politics.

He was an active journalist who plunged into politics when the TDP zeroed in on him as the Anantapur Lok Sabha constituency candidate who hailed from the BC caste. Kalava contested as MP candidate for Anantapur Parliamentary constituency and won with a comfortable majority trouncing the Congress-2 time MP Anantha Venkatarami Reddy in 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, Kalava served as MP and in 2004 he unsuccessfully contested against Congress candidate Anantha Venkatarami Reddy. Kalava is serving as TDP politburo member since 2004.

In 2014 Assembly elections, Kalava contested as MLA candidate from Rayadurgam constituency and won against YSRCP's Kapu Ramachandra Reddy.He served as a government chief whip for two years and in early 2018 he became a Minister for Information and Public Relations and Rural Housing and ever since focused on poverty alleviation and particularly on bringing Krishna water to his backward Rayadurgam constituency through the Handri-Neeva Project.

The Minister targeted bringing 1 lakh acres of agriculture land under irrigation. He brought water through a lift irrigation project from Jeedipalle reservoir at a cost of Rs 968 crore. He brought 2 tmcft of water to his constituency.

He also executed a community drip irrigation project at a cost of Rs 183 crore. He also implemented the drinking water scheme for every house hold at a cost of Rs 191 crore. He also generated 6,000 jobs by setting up a Textile Park.

However, Kalava Srinivasulu received a jolt with the ex-MLC Mettu Govinda Reddy submitting his resignation to the party in protest against re-nomination of Kalava Srinivasulu to Rayadurgam Assembly constituency. Mettu enjoys considerable following in Rayadurgam. His exit from TDP is a severe jolt to Kalava's re-election prospects.

Sitting TDP MLC Deepak Reddy, son-in-law of J C Prabhakar Reddy, is also an aspirant for Rayadurgam Assembly seat and had announced his resignation from the TDP party. He said that he would contest as an Independent, dealing a blow again to Minister Kalava Srinivas who has been renominated.

MP J C Diwakar Reddy tried to persuade Mettu Govinda Reddy from leaving the party but in vain. Even Kalava also appealed to Mettu against his decision to quit the party but the later was adamant. He now joined the YSRCP and is supporting YSRCP candidate Kapu Ramachandra Reddy.