Singanamala neglected by TDPgovt.\, alleges YSRCP candidate

Andhra Prades

Singanamala neglected by TDPgovt., alleges YSRCP candidate

On a campaign trail: Singanamala YSRCP candidate Jonnalagadda Padmavathi campaigning in the constituency.

On a campaign trail: Singanamala YSRCP candidate Jonnalagadda Padmavathi campaigning in the constituency.  

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Jonnalagadda Padmavathi promises to solve water problem

Determined to bounce back, YSR Congress candidate for Singanamala (SC) constituency, Jonnalagadda Padmavathi, wants to drive home the point -- neglect of the segment by the TDP government -- loud and clear.

Post bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, people voted with vengeance in 2014 Assembly elections against the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party benefiting the most. But Ms. Padmavathi lost to the sitting MLA Yamini Bala with 4,584 votes. The two-time MLA and the then Minister Sake Sailajanath got just 2,176 votes, but he too is in the fray in 2019 general elections.

Key issue

The key issue in the constituency is shortage of irrigation and drinking water despite it having an assured ayacut under the Tungabhadra canal.

Large tracts of lands in the villages on both sides of the National Highway No.44 are fallow with even rain-fed crop failing this year due to -47% deficit rainfall.

“The Mid Penna Reservoir (MPR) or Penakacherla Dam as it is popularly known get releases from Tungabhadra Dam, but the Anantapur MP ensures water is taken away to Chagallu reservoir despite not having any allocation,” alleges Ms. Padmavathi.

Farmers in villages from Garladinne to MPR Dam on Monday accorded her warm welcome and appealed to her to get water for their crops, which is their right and waiver of crop loans. Ms. Padmavathi attributes her loss in 2014 elections to the crop loan waiver and DWCRA loan waiver promises made by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, but the two never materialised.

Terming the TDP candidate Bandaru Sravani as a person propped up by J.C. Diwakar Reddy, MP, Ms. Padmavathi pitied sitting MLA Yamini Bala, who too was allegedly not allowed to function independently.

Ms. Padmavathi, chairperson of an educational trust, promises to bring allotted water with the help of YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to all the tanks improving the groundwater levels, which had fallen miserably with some farmers having to dig bores up to 1,000 feet. She predicts a comfortable victory for the YSR Congress in the State.

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