The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Raghuveera goes all out to woo voters

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Monday, Apr 06, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Raghuveera goes all out to woo voters

B. Chandrashekhar

Minister moves from home constituency Madakasira to Kalyanadurg following delimitation

Minister leaving no stone unturned to neutralise the impact of TDP
Out of seven elections held in Kalyanadurg, TDP had won five times

KALYANADURG (ANANTAPUR DT.): “Naaku okkasari avakasamivvandi, nijamaina abhivruddi ante ento choopisthanu” (give me a chance, I will show you the real development). This is precisely what Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy is telling the people in this backward constituency for almost two months now.

The dialogue may sound somewhat similar to that of Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi. But, Mr. Raghuveera Reddy has chosen to adopt the same lines to make inroads into the minds and hearts of people in this constituency, where he has migrated to further his political career.

Not only the Minister, but his wife Sunita and his daughter Amruta have also been using the same words while seeking support for him during their canvassing. Delimitation exercise has forced the Minister to choose a new constituency and after pondering over choices like Rayadurg, Hindupur and Kalyanadrug he settled for the last one.

Reservation

Interestingly, the Minister moved from his home constituency Madakasira, as it has been reserved for Scheduled Castes, to Kalyanadurg, which has been de-reserved to general from the one reserved for SCs hitherto.

The Congress could win only once here since the emergence of TDP in 1983. Out of seven elections including a by-poll held here the TDP had won five times and its ally CPI once. Sitting TDP legislator B.C. Govindappa is the most successful by representing it three times.

The Minister has been leaving no stone unturned to neutralise the impact of TDP here. “I am confident that schemes implemented by the government will definitely make the bless me,” Mr. Raghuveera Reddy hopes.

By launching his campaign about two months back, the Minister is clearly ahead of his rivals in this aspect. He has been trying to literally contact every influential and opinion leader among the farmers. Besides, he has also been enticing the dissident and disgruntled sections in TDP to further his chances of win. He is promising the people a ‘five-year-plan’ to develop the constituency. The road map of development includes changing all rural roads to black-top, providing irrigation facility through Handri-Neeva, drinking water to about 200 villages under Srirami Reddy drinking water scheme among others.

On the other hand, TDP candidate U. Hanumantharaya Chowdary has launched his campaign about a month back and PR candidate K. Ramanna, who quit as TDP ZPTC member from here barely 20 days back, has taken to the task recently.

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