The Hindu (Vijayawada)

YSRCP plays the Kapu card to face Pawan Kalyan in Kakinada district

- T. Appala Naidu

The YSRCP has decided to play the Kapu card to register a victory for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Kakinada district, in which it has fielded Kapu leaders including two Cabinet Ministers in six seats out of seven Assembly constituen­cies in Kakinada district in the 2024 General Elections.

In Kakinada city, sitting YSRCP MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasek­har, who belongs to the Reddy caste, is in the fray. In the only Lok Sabha constituen­cy of Kakinada City, the YSRCP has allotted the seat to Kapu leader Chalamalas­etti Sunil.

Building its base brick by brick, the Jana Sena Party ( JSP) gained strength on all fronts after party chief supremo K. Pawan Kalyan completed his ‘Varahi Yatra’ in Kakinada district. The Kapu cadre began to support Mr. Pawan Kalyan after Mudragada Padmanabha­m quit the Kapu reservatio­n movement citing his age.

Ruling party’s list

The six Kapu leaders being fielded in the Assembly elections in Kakinada district are Dadisetti Raja (Tuni Assembly constituen­cy),

Varupula Subba Rao (Prathipadu), Vanga Geetha (Pithapuram), Kurasala Kannababu (Kakinada Rural), Davuluri Dorababu (Peddapuram) and Thota Narasimham (Jaggampeta). Dadisetti Raja is the Roads and Buildings Minister and Kurasala Kannabu is the former Agricultur­e Minister in Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Cabinet.

Kakinada City sitting MP

Vanga Geetha is the YSRCP’s only woman parliament­arian in the fray, in which she is contesting against Jana Sena Party chief K. Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram Assembly segment.

Mudragada’s role

In an attempt to woo the Kapu votes in Kakinada district, Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabha­m is all set to extend his support to the YSRCP across Kakinada district. “I will campaign for the YSRCP in the 2024 general elections. I will also extend all support to register the victory against the TDPJSPBJP alliance for the YSRCP,” said Mr. Padmanabha­m in a press conference held recently.

The YSRCP high command has also deputed its Godavari regional coordinato­r and MP P.V. Midhun

Reddy to coordinate the election campaign in Pithapuram Assembly constituen­cy. On March 16, TDP national president N. Chandrabab­u Naidu gave a call to the TDP cadre to strive for the victory of Mr. Pawan Kalyan in the Pithapuram constituen­cy by convincing the cadre to withdraw their protests against Mr. Pawan Kalyan’s decision to contest from Pithapuram.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India