Continuing Legacy: Candidates from political families keen to prove worth in AP polls

Vijayawada: To carry on their family’s legacy, several prominent political successors such YS Sharmila, Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, Chevireddy Mohit Reddy, Perni Kittu and Yanamala Divya are ready to test their worth in the upcoming State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections across the 175 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.

The state will go for elections on May 13 and the results will be announced on June 4.

Currently, there are a few notable politicians like chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Hindupur TDP MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, Srikakulam TDP MP Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, BJP AP unit president Daggubati Purandeswari and others, who have proven themselves of deserving of their parents’ legacy, have left their mark on Andhra politics. Rather than taking it easy, they are putting a lot of effort into winning the elections this time.

YS Sharmila: A bitter family feud

For the first time, YS Sharmila, the daughter of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, is testing her luck in the Lok Sabha elections from the Kadapa seat.

Sharmila is also the sister of chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Sharmila stayed away from contesting the Telangana Assembly elections in 2023 through her YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) and extended support to the Congress.

After the Congress party came to power in Telangana, Sharmila shifted her attention to Andhra Pradesh politics and joined the Congress party.

The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) appointed her as the party’s Andhra Pradesh unit president. Sharmila is going to take on her cousin YS Avinash Reddy of the YSRCP in the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. Avinash Reddy is one of the accused in the murder case of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is ahead of other political parties in the state in infusing fresh blood into politics.

Bhumana Abhinay Reddy: Deputy mayor at 34

Above all of them, Tirupati deputy mayor Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, son of two-time Tirupati MLA and two times TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, is on top of the list of first-timers trying their luck in politics.

This time, Karunakar Reddy handed the baton to his son Abhinay Reddy, who is contesting from the Tirupati constituency on behalf of the YSRCP. With a Master’s degree in business information systems from London, Abhinay joined the political scene in March 2021 and was duly elected to the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) as a corporator.

Abhinay Reddy was promoted to deputy mayor at the age of 34.

By developing more than 20 master plan roads recently, Abhinay Reddy significantly contributed to the improvement of the road system in the temple city. Abhinay Reddy will fight against TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance candidate Arani Srinivasulu, who switched his loyalties to Jana Sena from the YSRCP after he was denied a ticket from Chittoor.

Chevireddy Mohit Reddy: Political career from MPTC to TTD board

Another heir in the electoral battle to carry on his father’s legacy is Chevireddy Mohit Reddy, son of Chandragiri YSRCP MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy.

In the upcoming elections, Mohith is going to contest from Chandragiri Assembly constituency. Mohith, who holds a Master’s degree from Warwick University in London, began his political career at the age of 22 when he was elected as an MPTC member.

Mohith was unanimously chosen then as the MPP of Tirupati Rural, which has 1.33 lakh voters, 40 sarpanches, and 39 MPTC members. Later, Mohith was appointed a TTD board member and the TUDA chairman in 2023 at the age of 25.

Mohit Reddy will take on TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance candidate Pulivarthi Venkata Mani Prasad against whom his father Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy won as an MLA in the 2019 elections.

Perni Krishna Murthy: Facing father’s rival

Former transport minister Perni Venkataramaiah’s (Nani) son Perni Krishna Murthy aka Kittu is another heir who is trying to continue the family tradition.

Perni Nani, the incumbent MLA and a former minister made the decision not to contest in the 2024 elections and requested the YSRCP leadership to give his son a chance to do so. Considering Perni Nani’s plea, the YSRCP is fielding Perni Kittu from the Machilipatnam Assembly constituency.

Perni Kittu pursued his graduation degree in engineering from Bhimavram’s RK College of Engineering. In the upcoming elections, Perni Kittu will fight against TDP leader Kollu Ravindra against whom his father Perni Nani won as an MLA in the 2019 Assembly elections.

Yanamala Divya: First-timer featured on TDP’s first list

From TDP, former finance minister and politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s daughter Yanamala Divya is a first-timer contesting from the Tuni Assembly constituency.

She will take on minister for R&B Dadisetti Raja. From 1983, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has been winning as an MLA from the constituency, until he was defeated in the 2009 Assembly elections. He then announced his brother Yanamala Krishnudu as his political heir.

However, in the 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections, Yanamala Krishnudu was defeated. Aiming to bring the TDP to power in the constituency, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu is fielding his daughter Divya as an MLA candidate. Divya is the only woman candidate who got a berth in the first list of TDP MLA candidates announced by party president N Chandrababu Naidu.