TIRUPATI: Tirupati SC reserved constituency is witnessing a contest between two ‘outsiders’ from the district and except veteran politician Chinta Mohan, other candidates are fresh faces. The main contest, like in any other segment in the State, is between TDP and YSRC. The Jana Sena-backed BSP and BJP are also vying for honours in the constituency.
Both the rival parties had to ‘hunt’ for suitable candidates till the last minute and TDP fielded former union minister Panabaka Lakshmi, who joined the party from the Congress in the last minute. Panabaka Lakshmi had won as MP thrice from Nellore and once from Bapatla reserved constituency.
Both Panabaka Lakshmi and YSRC candidate Balli Durga Prasad belongs to the Nellore district. However, they have circle of influence in several Tirupati segments, especially in Gudur, Sarvepalli, Sullurpeta and also in Venkatagiri constituencies, which come under Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency. On the other hand, Durga Prasad represented the Gudur Assembly segment four times and worked as Education Minister in the Chandrababu Naidu government in the past. Balli Durga Prasad has always played a crucial role in the Gudur constituency.
While the Congress has fielded its old horse, six-time runner Chinta Mohan, the JSP-Left-BSP alliance parties’ candidate is Dr Daggumati Srihari Rao, a local medical practitioner. Former MP Chinta Mohan is going to contest from Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency for the ninth time.
Major political parties have selected candidates hailing from Nellore district. The parties concentrated on voters of Gudur, Sarvepalli, Venkatagiri and Sullurpeta constituencies, which come under Nellore district. In fact, V Varaprasad of the YSRC had bagged the Tirupati parliamentary seat with the majority of votes secured from these constituencies during the 2014 general elections. While the YSRC is having its legislators in Sarvepalli and Sullurpeta, the TDP has legislators in Satyavedu, Srikalahasti, Tirupati in Chittoor district and Venkatagiri and Gudur in Nellore district.
Both Nellore and Chittoor districts that come under Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency have inter-State border villages. Fishermen in the Sullurpeta segment in Nellore district have been facing troubles due to border issues with Tamil Nadu fishermen frequently. Majority of the villagers residing in Tada mandal in Sullurpeta segment have been demanding setting up of a Tamil medium school in the area for their convenience. There are also an increase in number of migratory workers. As many as 230 companies are located in the Special Economic Zones in the Tada mandal.