The Gajuwaka Assembly seat, which was carved out of the Pendurthi constituency in 2009, has gained importance for more than one reason. It is not only the largest constituency in Andhra Pradesh with an electorate of 3.09 lakh but also one of the two constituencies from which actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, founder of the JanaSena Party, is contesting. The other is Bhimavaram in West Godavari district.
What makes the contest interesting is that Mr. Kalyan is pitched against two strong leaders — sitting TDP MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao and the YSRCP’s Tippala Nagi Reddy.
As the April 11 election date draws closer, the race appears to be tightening.
While the YSRCP and the TDP have got their campaigns well under way, the JSP is yet to get going. But, sources in the JSP said that Mr. Kalyan was likely to visit and lead the campaign at least thrice before campaigning comes to a close on April 9. “This may tilt the equations and go in our favour,” said a senior JSP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity.
All three candidates are banking on distinct vote banks in an electorate that is highly fragmented by caste equations.
Mr. Rao, a civil engineer with expertise in seismic-resistant designs, is confident that his credentials as a son of the soil will give him the edge.
“My father Palla Simhachalam was the sarpanch in this mandal for 25 years and was elected as an MLA in 1994 on the TDP ticket,” Mr. Rao said. “I was born and brought up here and I know the issues of this constituency like the back of my hand,” he added.
According to Mr. Rao, Gajuwaka as an industrial belt faces issues relating to pollution, rehabilitation and resettlement packages for the project displaced and housing. “These are complicated issues and can be understood only by a local and Mr. Pawan Kalyan, who is an actor and an outsider, will never understand the complexities,” he asserted.
For Mr. Reddy, also a local, the sympathy from having been a losing candidate — in 2009 and 2014 — could be a factor that may work in his favour.
Kapu, youth
And while Mr. Kalyan forswears caste politics, the biggest advantage is the Kapu electorate in the constituency.
In 2014, when the total electorate was about 2.6 lakh, the Kapu voters were about 58,000, or over 22% and the Yadavas comprised about 20%.
Now that the total electorate has gone up to 3.09 lakh, the Kapu and the Yadava base is estimated to have gone up by at least 10,000 each. While Mr. Kalyan is a Kapu, Mr. Rao is a Yadava, and the caste equation might tilt the balance.
A strong fan base is another positive for Mr. Kalyan. Gajuwaka has the highest membership for the JSP, with the figure crossing 70,000. And most of them are believed to be from the Kapu community and the youth, who are his fans. “But how much it will translate into votes is to be seen,” said the YSRCP’s Mr. Reddy. “The percentage of youth in the voting category is just about 7%,” he added
But Mr. Kalyan retorts, “As many as 17 MLA aspirants dropped their proposal voluntarily, the moment they came to know that I am keen on contesting and even leader like Chinthalapudi Venkataramaiah, who won the seat in 2009, paved the way for me, by contesting from Pendurthi this time, this shows my acceptance.”
For Mr. Rao and the TDP, it is the government’s welfare schemes and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s popularity among women that would serve it well.
A visit to the market place in New Gajuwaka area reveals that a majority of the women here hold Mr. Naidu in high regard, with his ‘Pasupu Kumkuma’ scheme having become a runaway hit.
“There are about 800 hawkers in Old and New Gajuwaka and each has a family of three to four members who have voting rights and 90% of us are with Mr. Naidu,” said Appalanarasamma, a sugarcane juice vendor.