Despite tough fight, Lokesh confident of victory

Mangalagiri: Chief Minister N Chandrababu's son Nara Lokesh may face a tough fight as TDP has never won from this weavers-dominated constituency in Guntur district since 1985 and rival YSRCP is leaving no stone unturned.

However, the popularity of welfare schemes like Pasupu Kumkuma under which Rs 10,000 cash and smartphones are given to the members of self-help groups (SHGs), NTR Bharosa pension for the needy and vulnerable people, and unemployment allowance scheme as well as the mega Polavaram project and development of basic infrastructure are likely to work in the favour of 36-year-old Lokesh, say observers.

Lokesh, grandson of Telugu icon and star-turned-politician N T Rama Rao, says he chose Mangalagiri assembly constituency for his electoral debut to set a "trend in politics". The area is famous for its Mangalagiri cotton sarees. "The TDP never won this constituency since 1985 because of coalition. We always lost it to our partners. That is the reason I am contesting from here. I have plunged into deep sea in order to set trends in Indian politics," he told PTI.

With an electorate of 2,68,429, Mangalagiri is predominantly belongs to backward communities, especially weavers' community (Padmashali) and Muslims. Both Lokesh (Kamma) and YSRCP candidate (Reddy) have upper caste identity. It's a two-way fight between Lokesh and YSRCP's sitting MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy.

In 2014, Reddy had defeated TDP's candidate Ganji Chiranjeevi, a Padmashali, by a mere 12 votes. Hoping to open TDP's account in the constituency after more than three decades, Lokesh -- formally inducted into TDP in May 2013 and worked on the election strategy for 2014 general elections. He said he is fully confident of routing the YSRCP.

"Three things will play in favour of TDP. One is welfare schemes, second is infrastructure development like drainage, roads and urban housing and the third one is 3 lakh jobs generated in private sector," he claimed.

He said the Polavaram irrigation project will also add up. One of the voters, Y Rajalakshmi -- an housewife -- living in the ST colony of Emani village in Guddiryala mandal, says, "Lokesh is son of the Chief Minister, we expect he will also work like his father," highlighting the works done by the TDP in the colony that include laying of cement roads and replacing streets lights with LEDs and improved drainage. Shaktinarayan, a 51-year-old farmer, claims the people of Emani mandal have always voted for Congress but the party did no work here.