Bobbili war likely to be enacted

• Bobbili MLA joins Congress at the behest of Botcha
• But now they are settling scores
• Botcha and Bobbili Zamindar fight it out for supremacy
• Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao is now sailing with YSRCP

Lakshmana Rao Vizianagaram: The historical 'Bobbili War' is being re-created in the district though the warring parties differ from the historical ones. However, this time the war is not between the Vizianagaram princely state and the Bobbili Zamindari but between the nouveau riche Botcha Satyanarayana and Bobbili Zamindar family. The Bobbili Zamindar family had been away from politics for a while. They had for some decades limited their activities to the commerce and industry. Suddenly, the new generation started evincing interest in politics. First, they approached the Telugu Desam Party. But due to the historical rivalry between the Bobbili Zamindari and Vizianagaram princely State, Vizianagaram Raja Ashok Gajapati Raju put a spanner in his attempts. It was the Pradesh Congress President and Minister Botcha Satyanarayana who invited them to join the party. Botcha wanted to put a check to former minister Peddinti Jaganmohan Rao in Bobbili. Bobbili family came in handy for him to achieve it. At his behest Bobbili Zamindar Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao jumped into the fray and became the MLA from Bobbili Assembly constituency in 2004. For three years the sailing was trouble-free and the Bobbili Zamindar suddenly started creating his own group with another minister Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju, the then MLA Mangapati Rao and Ravibabu. At this juncture, Zilla Parishad chairman Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi, wife of Mr. Satyanarayana, won the Vizianagaram Parliamentary constituency in the by-election leaving the chairman post vacant. Botcha succeeded to place his man in the chairman seat in spite of the efforts of the other group to break his influence in the district. In 2009 elections, both the groups had election propaganda separately. During the 2009 elections, too, the Bobbili Zamindar won the election with a large majority. Naturally, Bobbili family wanted to enhance their grip on the district. They tried in vain many a time to secure a minister post during the regime of Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. After the sudden demise of YS, they could not continue in the party any longer. At this juncture, Botcha became the PCC president. Bobbili Zamindar has chosen to sail with YSR Congress party which has given them the opportunity to lead the party in the north coastal Andhra. They openly defied the Congress leadership to show their strength if they are expelled from the party. The recent no-confidence motion has given another opportunity to Bobbili Zamindar to defy the whip issued by the Congress party. One has to wait and see whether the Congress would take action against Bobbili MLA this time or not. Botcha Satyanarayana is not sitting idle. He has been moving heaven and earth to check the influence of Bobbili family. He is nurturing another influential caste Koppula Velama belonging to backward classes in the district. He has also invited some TDP leaders into the party. As the top leader of YSR Congress party in the coastal Andhra, Bobbili Zamindars are also forming their own group in Ramabhadrapuram, Terlam, Badangi, Bobbili mandals and the town. The recent election of Karada cooperative society has come handy for Bobbili family to show their strength. They got their own men elected to the society. To put a check to their popularity, Botcha Satyanarayana has recently oragnised a massive public meeting at Tandra Paparayudu junction in Bobbili town to show his strength. In retaliation, the Bobbili zamindars are also making preparation to organise a massive public meeting to show their strength. One has to wait and see who would be the ultimate winner in this modern 'Bobbili War'.