For first-time MLA-elect Jonnalagadda Padmavathi, who has secured the second highest percentage of votes in a constituency after Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the State, dealing with water scarcity in the region will be the primary challenge.
While Mr. Reddy has secured 73.48% of votes (1,32,356 votes out of the 1,80,127 polled), Ms. Padmavathi got 59.78% (1,18,044 votes out of the 1,97,466 polled) from the Singanamala (SC) Assembly constituency in the district. She was followed by Thoguru Arthur, who has secured 59.45% of votes from the Nandikotkur seat. “It’s overwhelming as I did not expect such a huge mandate in my favour,” Ms. Padmavathi said.
Greater responsibility
Throughout the campaign she had said she expected to win comfortably, but winning by a margin of 46,242 votes and getting the second largest percentage of votes in a constituency puts greater responsibility on her. “The extent of the victory signifies expectations of voters in the constituency,” she said.
An educationalist-turned-politician, she’s confronted with dealing with water scarcity in the six mandals of the constituency that is perennially water-starved. She alleged Anantapur sitting MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy had turned efforts of former Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Yamini Bala ineffective despite having water resources.
Determined to keep the promise of providing 121 days of irrigation and drinking water throughout the year, she planned to stave off scarcity in villages like Mukundapuram, where residents collected drain water and filtered it through saris for consumption.
Spreading awareness
Moreover, she alleged water theft was rampantwith political support and for two years there were no statistics relating to water in tanks and no information pertaining to the use of the 24 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) water from the Tungabhadra High Level Canal. With repair work under way at feeder canals and early completion of lining along the main canal, she hoped to keep her promised within a year.
As for growing malnutrition in the constituency, she planned to press the government to pass an order making it mandatory for undergraduate students studying food and nutrition to stay in rural areas for two months to spread awareness.