Rajamahendravaram: No fragrant winds of development yet

Rajamahendravaram: Nationally famous Kadiyam flower gardens (nurseries) are located in the Rajahmundry rural constituency. But the beauty of the flowers and their aroma is not visible in the development of constituency.

Rajahmundry Rural was formed in East Godavari district as part of the 2008 delimitation. Then existing Kadiyam constituency was cancelled and this new one was formed with Kadiyam and Rajahmundry Rural mandals. While there are 50 divisions under the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation, 14 of them have been included in the Rajahmundry Rural constituency.

Kapu, BC (Devanga, Settibalija and other castes), Kamma and SC castes have a large population and prevalence in this constituency. The Kapu caste plays a decisive role here.

DIET, Polytechnic, hosing department’s Nirmiti Kendra, APTransco head office, Telugu University, NACC, Water Grid Scheme are among the prominent institutions in this constituency. Further, industries like GVK, GMR, Horlicks factory, Coastal Paper Mills and Coca-Cola Bottling Unit are also located here.

This constituency has become very important for tourism as well. Sir Arthur Cotton's residence, Dowleswaram barrage, Cotton Museum, Vemagiri Buddha Vihar and Kadiyam flower gardens are major tourist attractions.

So far three elections have been held in this constituency. In 2009, TDP candidate Chandana Ramesh won the three-way contest between TDP, Praja Rajyam and Congress parties. In the 2014 election, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary contested as a TDP candidate and he was supported by the BJP and Jana Sena parties and won. He again won in 2019.

Despite contesting in Rajahmundry Rural in 2014 and 2019, the YSRCP did not win even once. Another important thing to note is that all the candidates who won and contested in the last three elections are non-locals who have no vote in this constituency. In fact, between 1955 to 2009 non locals had been winning from here. Patamsetty Ammiraju and Girajala Venkataswami Naidu and Jakkampudi Ramamohana Rao were the only natives who got elected.

Also, famous SC leader Bathina Subbarao won twice in Kadiyam. Former MLC Kandula Durgesh, who contested on behalf of Jana Sena in the last election, is the president of the joint East Godavari district of the party, and a member of the coordination committee of TDP and Jana Sena.

He has been associated with this area for the past 15 years.

Observers believe that the Jana Sena will ask for this seat as the part of alliance. This time possibility of replacing TDP sitting MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary is not ruled out. Butchaiah is not only the most senior member of the party but also a member of the politburo.

Whether Butchaiah will be shifted to another place or TDP will change him in favour of Jana Sena is the subject of discussion, so all the attention is focused on this constituency.

When it comes to election issues in the constituency, the nursery farmers are crucial. Arrangements related to flower transportation, 24-hour power supply, cold storage and establishment of by-product units of flowers are the promises made during every election. Roads and other infrastructure are yet to be provided in villages. Drinking water is also a major problem.

Due to lack of garbage dumping yards in many villages, garbage is dumped on the sides of the roads but civic authorities failed to improve the conditions.