‘VIP constituency’ Tuni lacks development

Rajamahendravaram: Even though Tuni Assembly constituency is termed as VIP constituency as it was represented by TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu for 27 years, who won six consecutive elections, the irony is that this constituency has remained underdeveloped till date and plagued with several problems.

Yanamala Ramakrishnudu started his political journey with Telugu Desam party with its founder and late Chief Minister NT Rama Rao in 1983. He served as Finance Minister and Speaker of the undivided Andhra Pradesh State, as PAC chairman and MLC.

From 2014, the constituency was represented by YSRCP candidate Dadisetty Ramalingeswara Rao (Raja).

People have been facing several issues like improper drainage system, poor quality of drinking water, flooding of large number of houses whenever River Tandava is in spate and many others. They are demanding construction of a retaining wall to prevent floods, construction of flyovers, expansion of market yard and quality drinking water.

About 25,000 people are dependent on 220 hatcheries in this constituency. Fishermen, who are in large numbers, are complaining of high pollution due to Divi chemical factory releasing toxic chemicals into the sea.

With elections round the corner, it now remains to be seen what strategies both TDP and YSRCP would come up with to win over the voters.

This constituency borders the erstwhile East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. It was included in Kakinada district as part of the reorganisation of districts in the State. Tuni, Kotananduru and Thondangi mandals were included in this constituency. It is also one of the Assembly segments of Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency with a total of 2,12,900 voters.

The constituency, carved in 1955, was represented by Raja Vatsavayi Venkata Krishnamraju Bahadur (1955, 1962), VV Krishnam Raju (1967), N Vijayalakshmi (1972), Vijayalakshmi Devi Mirja Nallaparaju (1978), Yanamala Ramakrishnudu (1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004), and VV Krishnamraju (Ashok Babu) (2009).

In 2014 and 2019 elections, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu gave up direct elections. His brother Yanamala Krishnudu, who contested on TDP ticket, lost the election to YSRCP candidate Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao, who became a Minister in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet.

A few months ago, party chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu had appointed Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s daughter Divya as the in-charge of the constituency. This made it certain that Divya will contest as TDP candidate in the 2024 elections from Tuni. On the other hand, Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao is trying for a hat-trick.

Now, everyone is avidly observing as to which side Kapu’s Kshatriyas and SCs will lean this time.