The Hindu : `Rebel trouble' for Congress in Krishna district

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

`Rebel trouble' for Congress in Krishna district

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA, FEB. 21 . Congress leaders in Krishna district will have to deal with `rebel trouble' in at least 10 of the 17 Assembly constituencies.The number of leaders aspiring to contest from the Vijayawada East is increasing with each passing day. Important among the aspirants are: the two-time winner from the constituency, Ch. Ratnakumari, her son, Radhakrishna, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) secretary, Malladi Vishnu, the city president and Nehru follower, Kadiyala Butchibabu, the former Mayor, Jandhyala Sankar, the OBC department co-chairman, Ilapuram Venkaiah, the doctor's cell chairman, G. Gangadhar, and the former Standing Committee chairperson, Kowtha Venkatalakshmi. Rivals of former MLA, Jaleel Khan, have nurtured Md. Mukthiyar to vie for the ticket. In Gudivada, the former minister, Katari Easwar Kumar, has to deal with his rival and K.S. Rao's follower, Segu Venkateswarlu, and Nugalapu Venkateswara Rao, municipal chairman. Mr Venkateswarlu who got the party ticket with the help of his mentor K.S. Rao in the previous election was defeated by the TDP candidate, Raavi Venkateswara Rao.

The politically active municipal chairman has a good following. In Nuzvid, the former Minister, Paladugu Venkata Rao, has a formidable rival in Velama leader, Meka Pratap Appa Rao. Dutta Ramachandra Rao, a relative of district Congress president, Mandali Buddha Prasad, is also aspiring for the ticket. The former MLA Samineni, Udaya Bhanu, will have to contest with his one-time political mentor, Sriram Tataiya. Mr Tataiya who helped Mr. Bhanu win in the last election is now aspiring to contest in the elections from Jaggaiahpet.

In Vuyyuru, the former MLA, Vangaveeti Chalapathi Rao, had allowed K.P. Saradhi, son of the former MP, K.P. Reddaiah, to contest in the by-election. Mr Saradhi was however defeated by the TDP candidate, Anne Vijaya Lakshmi. There is no guarantee that Mr. Chalapati Rao will make way for Mr Saradhi this time.

Meanwhile, K.S. Rao's follower, Vallabhaneni Kalpana, has joined the bandwagon of ticket aspirants recently. The defeated party candidate, Mudraboina Venkateswara, will have to vie with the former MLA, Musunuri Ratna Bose, for party ticket in Gannavaram. The former deputy chief minister and defeated party candidate, Koneru Ranga Rao, should be able to rope in Vakkaligada Adam and his son Vijaya Bhaskar. There are also followers of Kanchi Rama Rao to contend with.

In Mylavaram, the defeated party candidate, Komati Sudhakar, is facing competition from Jogi Venkateswara Rao and his family, which has a good base in the party. Former ministers, Devineni Rajasekhar in Kankipadu and Vasantha Nageswara Rao in Nandigama, former MLAs, Mandali Buddha Prasad in Avanigadda, Yerneni Rajaramchander in Kaikaluru, Pinnamaneni Venkateswara Rao in Mudinepalli and the former Deputy Speaker, Buragadda Vedavyas, have managed to keep their constituencies rival-free. Nani, is the only leader with some stature in Bandar. The death of the defeated party candidate, Jayaraju, has rendered Congress party in Nidumolu constituency leaderless.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

`Rebel trouble' for Congress in Krishna district

Chinks in blood bank licensing system

Ex-Minister's remarks against Upendra flayed

LG's new product launched

Guntur, Eluru may not get Krishna waters

APTA's plea on Hindi pandit certificates

Woman ends life

Battery showroom inaugurated

Railway staff stage dharna

In Vijayawada Today