All Eyes on Pithapuram: Seshu Kumari’s exit threatens JSP-TDP-BJP chances

Amaravati: In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Makineedi Seshu Kumari from Jana Sena Party (JSP) resigned and joined the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the presence of chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. She contested as MLA candidate from Jana Sena in 2019 assembly elections from Pithapuram.

This move by CM Jagan is seen as a strategy to destabilise any chances of the JSP-TDP-BJP alliance winning Pithapuram. Seshu Kumari, belonging to the Kapu community, has put extra weight on the political equations in the constituency since, in the last few elections, a majority of the leaders who won in this constituency were Kapus.

Party chief Pawan Kalyan has recently announced that he would be contesting from the Pithapuram Assembly constituency, which changed the political equations in the twin Godavari districts.

In the 2019 elections, Pendem Dorababu of YSRCP won the seat by securing around 44.7 per cent of the total polled votes. TDP candidate SVSN Varma garnered 36.68 per cent votes and JSP nominee Makineedi Seshu Kumari got 15 per cent of the votes.

Open to contesting for MP seat, says Pawan

Interacting with party cadre, JSP president Pawan Kalyan said that, if elected, he would adopt Pithapuram with its progress in mind, an aspect neglected by all political parties, he added.

Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday announced that Tangella Udaya Srinivas would be fielded from the Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency as JSP-TDP-BJP alliance candidate, against YSRCP candidate Chalamalasetty Sunil.

Regarding his candidature as an MP from the Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency, Pawan Kalyan said, “I would like to contest as an MLA, giving priority to the state development. But if Amit Shah asks me to contest for an MP seat, I will contest from Kakinada. In such a case, Udaya Srinivas would contest from Pithapuram.”

Political slugfest between two parties

Ever since Pawan Kalyan announced he would contest from Pithapuram, there has been political outrage from the TDP supporters of SVSN Varma, the TDP in charge of Pithapuram.

Earlier, while speaking to the media, Varma stated that he would contest from Pithapuram if Pawan Kalyan revoked his candidacy from there.

“I worked for TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu for about 20 years. I have sacrificed my seat for this constituency. If Pawan Kalyan contests from Kakinada as an MP, I will contest as an MLA candidate from Pithapuram constituency,” Varma said.

Targeting Kapu votes

As per the data available, Pithapuram has around 90,000 votes of Kapus, the community Pawan Kalyan belongs to. The segment also has around 80,000 votes for Backward Classes. It is yet to be seen how Seshu Kumari’s exit from the JSP will affect the party’s chances with the Kapu community voters.

Speculations are that Seshu Kumari’s resignation might affect the voting percentage of the community. However, it is also pertinent to know that the majority of voters in Pithapuram are fans of Pawan Kalyan.

In another aspect, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has always been keen on targeting constituencies where Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan are contesting, to give them a tough fight.