Nandyal bypoll: Big-ticket projects remain paper tigers, villagers migrate for greener pastures

HYDERABAD: Politics apart, issues that will dominate the mind of voters when they exercise their franchise on August 23 to elect their representative in Nandyal assembly constituency are drought, unemployment and large-scale migration of labourers.
Though the constituency has ministers representing it in the assembly for 15 years, there has been no development either under the Congress or TDP rule.Most of the promises remain on paper while people in villages migrate to Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Nandyal town does not have any major industrial project worth its name. Post-bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, residents of Nandyal have stopped looking to Hyderabad.
The only major irrigation source for the constituency is the Telugu Ganga Project, which incidentally has been bone dry in last three years with little inflow into Krishna.This year too, Nandyal is faced with severe drought. The standing groundnut crop has been hit hard in absence of rains. Maize and paddy are also grown in the constituency , but with depletion of water resources, large number of farmers have turned to dry crops.
The state government has focused on horticulture crops in Nandyal and other constitu encies in Rayalaseema. Nandyal town, though, is relatively peaceful but growing unemployment in urban areas has emerged as a major concern. Focus of the government has been to develop seed production centres in Kurnool district of which Nandyal is a part.
The constituency is also rocked by acute shortage of fodder for livestock. Milk production has also been hit.Housing in rural areas is also concern of the electorate.
While main Opposition YSRCP is busy highlighting alleged failure of the government, the ruling TDP has drawn up a list of development projects that will 'change the face' of the constitue