The political atmosphere in the districts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, which were known to be peaceful for decades, has hotted up of late, thanks to fight between YSR Congress Party and Opposition, including the Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party, to gain an upper hand.
The opposition is trying to get maximum mileage out of the Ramateertham incident, where the idol of Lord Rama was allegedly desecrated. Senior leaders of the Opposition parties, including former Home Minister and former TDP State president Kimidi Kalavenkata Rao and State unit president Somu Veerraju were arrested when they tried to stage protests.
There was a direct showdown between the workers of YSRCP and TDP on January 2, during the visit of former chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Rajya Sabha MP K. Vijaya Sai Reddy. The BJP organised protests at Ramateertham twice, putting the police on tenterhooks. As part of damage control mechanism, the State government ensured installation of a new Lord Rama idol carved by TTD architecture wing at Balalayam in Ramateertham last week.
Now the TDP and YSRCP are trying to win maximum number of panchayats in the local body elections.
Although the YSRCP won all nine Assembly constituencies in Vizianagaram district, it lost Tekkali and Itchapuram Assembly seats and Srikakulam Parliament seat in Srikakulam, thanks to the concerted efforts of Mr. Atchannaidu. YSRCP leader Duvvada Srinivas, who unsuccessfully contested the Srikakulam Parliament seat, is striving hard to win maximum number of seats, including Nimmada panchayat, a native village of Mr. Atchannaidu.
However, it is a not a cake walk since Nimmada has been a bastion of the TDP for the last 40 years. YSRCP’s attempt to gain ground in Nimmada turned into a prestige issue for TDP also, leading to clashes and arrest of Mr. Atchannaidu.
Senior police officers anticipate more tension and violence during Panchayat elections since TDP is keen on strengthening its network in rural areas. The YSRCP which is banking on positive vote does not want the TDP to win. Both the parties are at loggerheads in Vizianagaram also.
