Vijayawada: BC, Kamma, Kapu voters hold sway in Penamalur

Vijayawada : Penamaluru Assembly constituency was formed in 2009 elections with Penamaluru, Kankipadu and Vuyyur mandals. Major part of the constituency is located in urban and semi-urban areas. Backward classes, Kamma and Kapu communities constitute majority of the voters in this constituency.

Elections were conducted only three times since formation of the Penamaluru constituency. Before that, some areas of the constituency were in Vuyyur Assembly constituency. Kankipadu Assembly seat was abolished after 2004 elections and Kankipadu mandal was merged with the new Penamaluru Assembly constituency.

YSRCP candidate Kolusu Parthasarathi was elected in 2019 elections from Penamaluru defeating TDP candidate Bode Prasad by a margin of 11,317 votes.

Parthasarathi had also won in 2009 when he was in Congress during Y S Rajasekhara Reddy time. His chances of getting a ticket once again appears to be bright. In 2014 elections, TDP candidate Bode Prasad had won the elections by defeating YSRCP leader K Vidya Sagar.

Originally, Vuyyur constituency had Thotlavallur, Pamidimukkala and Vuyyur mandals. As part of the delimitation in 2009, Vuyyur seat was abolished and new Penamaluru constituency was created.

Located very near to Vijayawada, these three mandals have very rich fertile agriculture lands which are famous for paddy and horticulture crops. The constituency is home to many educational institutions, small-scale industries, banana orchards etc., A large number of people from this constituency have settled in countries like Australia, New Zealand. Many software professionals from this region had shifted to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and cities like Pune.

Vuyyur constituency was represented by many stalwarts for over four decades. Kakani Venkata Ratnam who rose to fame during Jai Andhra movement was elected from Vuyyur three times in 1955,1962 and 1972. He also contested from Gannavaram once.

Anne Baburao was another prominent TDP leader elected from Vuyyur constituency. He was elected thrice in 1985, 1994 and 1999. Agriculture activist and former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao was elected from Vuyyur constituency in 1978 representing Janata Party. Later, he joined the TDP.

Congress leader Kolusu Peda Reddaiah was elected from Vuyyur in 1983. Reddaiah later went to Lok Sabha from Machilipatnam constituency on behalf of TDP. Peda Reddaiah was one of the prominent Yadava leaders in the state.

Congress leader V S Chalapati Rao was elected from Vuyyur in 1989. Vuyyur is famous for KCP sugar factory and is strategically located on Vijayawada-Machilipatnam highway.

The constituency was abolished before 2009 elections. Leaders elected from Vuyyur seat had played very important role in politics of Krishna district and state of Andhra Pradesh.