As the sudden entry of Konda Surekha creates flutter amidst TDP and Congress leaders who have been preparing ground to contest the Parkal Assembly, she may face uphill task ahead.
Shifting moods
Enugala Venkatram Reddy of Congress and Gannoju Srinivasa Chary of TDP have been working in the constituency for a long time with the hope of winning this time. However, Konda Surekha’s entry into the Congress has changed the situation, as she claims that she has been promised the Parkal ticket by the Congress party.
Since the Congress and the TDP are going into polls as allies, the aspirants from these parties seem worried.
Mr. Srinivasa Chary, TDP Warangal Rural district president claims, that the TDP still has a loyal vote bank in the constituency. “Despite the TRS wave all over the State in 2014 elections, people of Parkal elected a TDP candidate. Even when Dharma Reddy shifted to the TRS party, people are still with the TDP,” he said. Mr. Chary also said he personally met TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu recently and got the assurance that Parkal constituency ticket would be allotted to the TDP as part of the alliance.
Mr. Dharma Reddy is also confident of retaining the seat, as he talks about the development work he did for the constituency. “The Parkal town is now a revenue division and a mega textile park is coming up in my constituency. It will bring in more jobs for the local youth,” he claims.
Though Ms. Surekha, who belongs to Vanchanagiri village in Parkal constituency, has changed parties, she claims to have a strong cadre support.