Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Nellore, Prakasam speakers go into specifics at public hearing

Staff Reporter

Splitting of Allur from Nellore constituency decried Splitting of Allur from Nellore constituency decried Bringing of Kandukur in Prakasam district into Nellore LS constituency and merger of Sarvepalli with Nellore city questioned

UP IN ARMS: Dalit activists from Nellore protesting against de-reservation of Nellore (SC) Lok Sabha constituency at the venue of the public hearing conducted by the Delimitation Commission in Tirupati on Tuesday. — Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Ku mar

TIRUPATI: The public hearing conducted by the Delimitation Commission of India here on Tuesday witnessed an outcry over specific issues by speakers from Nellore and Prakasam districts.

However, panel chief Justice Kuldip Singh, his deputy M. Sarangi and State Election Commissioner A.V.S. Reddy talked tough to them in tackling the situation.

While the removal of Allur Assembly constituency from the political map of Nellore led to a furore, many from Prakasam wanted Santhanuthalapadu segment retained in Ongole LS constituency and not Bapatla, as proposed by the panel.

Speakers from Allur, including its legislator K. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, tried their best to prevail upon the panel how Allur, an erstwhile taluq headquarters, was considered the rice bowl and hence the highest land revenue payer in the district. Many lamented that splitting Allur and merging it with three contiguous segments was unwarranted, pointing out that Penna river, that divided the district into two, be considered as the geographical boundary.

A speaker, Govinda Reddy, publicly accusing Vizag Member of Parliament N. Janardhana Reddy of distorting the district map by merging some segments with Kadapa and some with Chittoor district to get the Nellore parliamentary constituency dereserved as an SC segment. He questioned the wisdom behind bringing Kandukur in Prakasam district into Nellore LS seat and merging Sarvepalli, situated very close to Nellore city, into the Tirupati LS seat.

MLA's plea

On Prakasam district, the demand was basically on merging nearer mandals and axing the far-off ones. Parchur legislator D. Venkateswara Rao wanted Karamchedu mandal to be retained in his segment, which according to the new plan, would go with Chirala. Martur, the gateway of Prakasam district, was sought to be retained as a segment, while another demand was to add Ardhaveedu mandal to Giddalur by removing it from the inaccessible Yerragondapalem. Cumbum, proposed to be removed, was also sought to be retained.

Arguments presented

Kurnool Special Correspondent writes: Six MLAs from the district presented their arguments before the Delimitation Commission. Yarrakotal Kesava Reddy, Kotla Sujathamma, Charita, Erasu Pratap Reddy, M.A. Gafoor and Katasani Rambhupal Reddy presented their objections on the draft mapping of constituencies.

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