Uphill task for YSRCP in Atmakuru

Nellore: The YSRCP which registered a grand victory in Atmakuru Assembly constituency in 2019 elections, now appears to be swimming against the current.

Despite party high command finalising the candidature of incumbent MLA Mekapati Vikram Reddy for 2024 elections, the road appears to be a bumpy one more so because his uncle Udayagiri MLA Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy had quit YSRCP and joined TDP.

Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy’s elder son and former industries and IT minister Goutham Reddy got elected twice as YSRCP candidate in the constituency. In 2014, he won with a huge majority of 31,000 votes against his nearest TDP rival Guthuru Kannana Babu. Interestingly, Congress nominee Anam Ramanarayana Reddy who was the finance minister in both K Rosaiah and N Kiran Kumar Reddy governments after winning from Atmakuru constituency 2009 elections, was pushed to third place by just securing 8,927 votes. M Goutham Reddy repeated his winning spree and defeated TDP candidate Bollineni Krishanamma Naidu in 2019 elections.

After Goutham Reddy's death, his brother Mekapati Vikram Reddy contested from Atmakuru constituency as YSRCP candidate and registered a massive victory with 82,000 votes against BJP candidate Bharath Kumar in 2022 bypoll.

Merger of a biggest mandal Martipadu which is native of Mekapati family (Brahmanapalle), once in Udayagiri constituency coupled with support of Mekapati family members, especially Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy was a contributory factor for the grand victory in the last election.

But now the situation is entirely different. Chandrasekhar Reddy’s exit from YSRCP is certainly going to affect the winning chances of the ruling party candidate in Udayagiri and Atmakuru constituencies.

It appears that Anam Ramanarayana Reddy would be the TDP nominee. In the changed political situation, there would be a keen fight between the two parties. Anam Venku Reddy (father of Anam Ramanarayana Reddy) had won the seat in 1983 as TDP candidate while Anam Ramanarayana Reddy had won from here as Congress candidate in 2009. The support Anam would get from Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and the anti-incumbency factor could prove to be crucial in brightening the winning chances of Ramanarayana Reddy.

If Congress and BJP also put up their candidates here, it could further make a dent into the votes of the ruling party.