Narsapur: It is Congress rebel-turned-BRS candidate Vs Congress newbie; BJP only making presence felt

Narsapur (Medak): Delayed pension, unkept crop loan waiver promise, and lack of infrastructure in the seven Mandals in Narsapur weigh heavy on the minds of people.

Located close to the Narsapur reserve forest, the taluka and its seven mandals are constantly facing a man-animal conflict. Monkeys can be seen in every corner of the town. People realize that monkey menace is eternal and ‘no leader can resolve it’. What they want is ‘much promised’ infrastructure and relief from ‘agriculture stress’.

Infrastructure in mandals

The main highway roads have been built but internal roads connecting villages are a far cry. The small villages located in the mandals say that they need basic connectivity. Satamma, a tribal woman says, “I have to walk for two hours from my village to Narsapur taluka to collect pension. This time, they have given half the money only. So, I have to come twice.”

There are no concrete or blacktopped roads in the villages. Villages use dirt roads to commute. During the rainy season, these internal roads suffer damage hampering movement. Villagers mostly travel in two-wheelers, tempos, or tractors.

Crop loan waiver

The biggest problem for farmers is their long wait for the ‘assured crop loan waiver’. The promises have proved a pipe dream. Nara Goud, a farmer and cable operator says, “We were promised crop loan waiver twice by the BRS government. We received it only once. The government has not yet reimbursed the second installment. There is a promise that it will be done, but when?”

Farmers say that they are paying ‘double interest’ for the money as they took loans from the money-lenders on the assurance of the government. With the money not coming in, they are paying more money as interest. These factors are making them look at ‘new hopes and promises’ in this election season.

But hasn’t the BRS given them electricity and water for better agricultural produce, a farmer says, “Acha toh kiya hai, lekin abhi change chaiye.”

Sarpanchs wait for money

In all the mandals, the sarpanches have carried out works in the villages for drainage, repairs to the kuccha roads, and other village works. However, they are yet to receive the money. The money owed to the state government is very high and many of them say that they are waiting.

“Central government is not releasing the money and due to that, our money is not released. We have full faith in the BRS government and are telling the people that they are here for development,” says a sarpanch from a village.

He has been appeasing people who are showing their dissatisfaction with the BRS government.

Fight is between BRS and Congress

Narsapur is to see only a two-way fight between BRS and the Congress party. BRS has fielded Sunitha Laxma Reddy who switched from the Congress party in 2019. Sunitha Reddy was a three-time MLA in the erstwhile Congress government. Congress has fielded Raji Reddy and he is from the Kasipet mandal of Narsapur. Raji Reddy is new when compared to Sunitha Reddy. While both of them belong to the region, people hope that promises are kept and they do not have to wait for another five years.

Bharatiya Janta Party has fielded E Murali Yadav who is known in the taluka region but people say that he will only get a few votes like last time.

In the last 10 years, BRS or TRS has got maximum votes. Congress and BJP have stood second and third respectively.

Narsapur assembly constituency consists of Kowdipalle, Kulcharam, Narsapur (Semi-Urban), Hathnoora, Yeldurthy and Shivampet Mandals.This assembly was formed in 1952. Candidates from backward classes and Reddy communities have always won from this constituency. The contest in this Assembly was between the INC & CPI and of two personalities Chowti Jagannath Rao (INC) and Chilumala Vithal Reddy (CPI) for three decades. Vithal Reddy won in 1978,1985, 1989 and 1994 and Jagannath won in 1983. The seat was wrested from Vithal Reddy by V. Sunitha Laxma Reddy (INC) in 1999. After that, she won four times in successive elections. In 2014 TRS candidate Chilumula Madan Reddy wrested this seat from INC.

Vakiti Sunitha Laxma Reddy (BRS)

The present Telangana State Commission for Women Chairperson Vakiti Sunitha Laxma Reddy was elected from the Narsapur Assembly constituency three times. She was the Minister for Minor Irrigation in the YS Rajasekhara Reddy and K Rosaiah’s cabinets. She handled pensions and the Indira Kranti Yojana portfolio in N Kiran Kumar Reddy's cabinet. She lost the election in 2014 from Medak Lok Sabha Constituency. She joined the BRS in 2019.

Aavula Raji Reddy (INC)

Aavula Raji Reddy of the Congress has the chance of starting an early campaign as the BRS delayed nominating its candidate. The Congress is hoping that the sulking stalwart Madan Reddy would stay away from the campaign. However, he never contested elections after the formation of Telangana representing the Congress and testing water in the majority of mandals in the Assembly constituency.

Erragolla Murali Yadav (BJP)

The BJP leader is facing an uphill task to give a tough fight in Narsapur, as the vote share of the saffron party was only two percent in the 2018 elections. Erragolla who was Narsapur Municipal Chairman was suspended from the BRS party last year for anti-party activity. He later joined the BJP.