| Fields illiterate tribal woman from Kovur segment in Nellore district |
Munnemma’s speech last October impresses Chiru
Kovur constituency comprises large ST, BC, SC electorate
Triangular fight?: Former Minister and TDP nominee for Kovur Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy wooing voters in Nellore district as part of his campaign on Thursday. KOVUR (NELLORE DIST): Tupakula Munemma, the first candidate announced by Praja Rajyam, will enter the fray against sitting MLA and Congress nominee Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy as also TDP candidate and former Minister Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy in the elections.
Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi who was impressed by Munemma’s speech at ‘Mahila Varathi’ programme organised in Hyderabad during October last announced that the party will allot her a ticket in the ensuing elections. Keeping up the promise, the party announced her name in the fifth list on Wednesday.
Kovur, which was under Ongole Parliamentary constituency before delimitation, was a strong bastion for Reddy community and only Reddys represented the constituency since 1962. After delimitation, the constituency has come into Nellore Lok Sabha.
Reddy strongholdThough Kovur is a stronghold for Reddys, Praja Rajyam’s decision to field Munemma, an illiterate belonging to the Yanadi community, in the name of ‘social justice’ sent chills down the spine for Congress and Telugu Desam parties as there were a good number of tribal, BC and minorities’ votes in the segment.
The constituency boasts of the highest electorate of around 2,24,503, in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district. Of this, about 25,000 are tribals, 40,000 BCs and close to 15,000 minority and SC voters. But, the Congress, TDP and Praja Rajyam candidates are all upbeat about victory.
While Mr. Prasanna Kumar Reddy opines that dissidents and anti-incumbency will benefit TDP, Mr. Polamreddy says the fight will be between Praja Rajyam and the ruling party. The innovative schemes introduced by the Congress are the party’s strength.
On the other hand, Praja Rajyam is confident that the slogan ‘social justice’ will click at the hustings. Stating that only poor can bring social justice, Munemma (30), an daily wage labourer declares that she will strive for imposing ban on liquor and bring a seachange in the lives of the poor if she wins.
Congress hitchMr. Prasanna Kumar Reddy who started campaigning way earlier of others in the constituency says the Congress workers and the people are vexed with the local MLA’s behaviour and Telugu Desam has an edge in the segment.
“There are several groups in the Congress in the constituency. The party leaders organised protests for allotting ticket to the sitting MLA and met the Chief Minister urging him to change the candidate.
The dissidence in the Congress will benefit TDP”, said a party worker.
The Congress nominee and MLA said that Praja Rajyam will split the votes of the TDP but sees no threat for the Congress.
The party has a good hold in Bucchireddypalem, Indukuripeta and Kodavaluru mandals, he said.
Locals says that Chiranjeevi is keen on winning in this segment as his father had worked long ago in Kovur and the film actor has childhood association with the region. The party plans to take special interest in Kovur segment, they say.
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