The Hindu : TDP may bank on new faces to upset Suresh Reddy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Nizamabad

TDP may bank on new faces to upset Suresh Reddy

By Ravi Reddy

NIZAMABAD, MARCH 22. Lack of proper leadership coupled with infighting has landed the Telugu Desam Party in a disarray in the fertile Balkonda constituency, represented by K.R.Suresh Reddy of the Congress for the last three terms.

The bickering among the TDP groups has forced it to face humiliation at the hands of the Congress candidate in the 1989, 1944 and 1999 elections. The Congress is sitting pretty in the segment where the TDP leaders are more interested in scuttling the chances of rival groups rather than taking on the Opposition party.

Three successive elections have proved that the infighting among the leaders benefited the Congress candidate. The TDP leadership, which is serious about the growing groupism in the constituency, has decided to give a fresh look at the candidates. It might bring new faces to take on Mr. Suresh Reddy, who holds virtual sway over the segment with the right contacts in all the mandals in the segment. Intensive travel and village-visits have only endeared the three-time MLA to the electorate.

The TDP in a bid to make inroads into the Congress bastion in all likelihood field a new comer. The name of a doctor from Armoor, who has earned good reputation among the people of the division, is being heard prominently. Similarly, two advocates practising in the Nizamabad District and Sessions Court and a contractor are also in the race for the ticket.

Not to be outdone, senior TDP leaders like the HACA chairman, Baddam Narsa Reddy, Vasant Reddy and Amruta Reddy, have also jumped into the fray. The party is of the opinion that a new comer alone could give a fight to Mr. Suresh Reddy, who is getting ready to fight his fourth election in a row.

A look at the performance of the political parties would reveal that a Socialist Party nominee, Anant Reddy, won the seat in 1952. In 1957, Ranga Reddy, of the Congress entered the Assembly. Then came G. Rajaram, an influential Congress leader, who won in the 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1978 elections in a row. He was unanimously elected in 1967. His death in a road accident in 1981 led to a bypoll in which his widow, Sushila Bai, was elected.

The TDP made its electoral debut in the constituency with a thumping win in 1983 when the party nominee, G.Madhusudan Reddy, defeated Sushila Bai. He retained the seat in the 1985 elections also. The entry of Mr. Suresh Reddy as Congress candidate in 1989 ended the winning streak of the TDP. He nurtured the constituency well to ensure that he was returned to the State Assembly in successive elections in 1994 and 1999. The TRS is a force to reckon with in the constituency and it is bound to benefit the Congress.

Despite having the Sriramsagar irrigation projects and a couple of lift irrigation schemes, the constituency, still lacks proper irrigation sources. The constituency also forms tailend ayacut of Nizamsagar project. The farmers have been agitating for early completion of the SRSP Flood Flow canal so that a large areas are brought under irrigation. Irrigation is likely to play a major role in deciding the fate of the parties in the segment where progressive farmers and Village Development Committees play a role.

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