Tenali: Andhra's Paris bracing up for fierce contest between YSRCP's Annabathuni, NDA's Nadendla

Tenali: Tenali assembly constituency is all set to witness a fierce contest between the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine.

Voters of this constituency are believed to have a high level of political consciousness.

Sitting YSRCP MLA Annabathuni Siva Kumar is trying hard to win the seat again. Jana Sena's Nadendla Manohar, who lost the seat last time is again trying his luck as a joint candidate of NDA.

BC, Kapu, Malas Kamma, Madiga, Arya Vysya, and Muslims form the majority of voters. Urban voters in Tenali municipal region too are in good numbers.

In the past, several political stalwarts have contested from this constituency. They include former chief minister Nadendla Bhaskara Rao and his son Nadendla Manohar, former minister Annabathuni Satyanarayana and his son Annabathuni Siva Kumar, and Doddapaneni Indira and her daughter Gogineni Uma.

YSRCP failed to provide employment opportunities to youth

“There is a lack of employment opportunities for the youth. This is the reason for the public resentment,” said Ch Adilakshmi, Tenali housemaker.

She blamed the YSRCP government for failing to create jobs. In quest of employment, several people are moving to other states, she said.

“YSRCP's objective is to assist people without generating wealth, even though it implements extensive welfare projects. Welfare and development would be ensured if the TDP secures a majority of the votes,” Adilakhsmi said.

On incumbent MLA Siva Kumar, Adilakshmi said while he was approachable, he completely failed to secure sufficient funding for the constituency's development. She said the legislator failed to upgrade the existing municipality to a Municipal Corporation and develop infrastructure.

She cited the example of the poor condition of the road between Tenali and Vijayawada. “Even though he was made aware of multiple accidents along the route, he did nothing. During the YSRCP government, major infrastructural and road projects in the Tenali constituency were shelved. We have decided to back Nadendla Manohar's candidacy as an MLA to secure our children's future," she said.

Nadendla Manohar was instrumental in Tenali's development

A local auto driver A Venkata Rao said Nadendla Manohar played a significant role in the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects in the Tenali assembly segment. He said Manohar ought to be given the opportunity as an MLA in the next elections.

Rao stated that people gave YSRCP candidate Annabathina Siva Kumar an opportunity in 2019, but he failed to deliver. Even after five years, he was unable to repair the towns' crumbling roads and the irrigation canals surpassing the city, he added.

Asked whether he received Rs 10,000 assistance that the YSRCP government gave to the auto-rickshaw drivers, Rao said he was ineligible for the scheme.

“There are multiple poorly maintained roads in the constituency. After driving on potholed roads, our auto rickshaws suffer severe damage. By imposing steep fines for infractions that are trivial, the break inspectors are also chasing the auto-rickshaw drivers,” he said.

Siva Kumar accessible to public

Local accountant MV Sarma said the YSRCP government is leading the nation by assisting the impoverished. He said YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had a significant role in improving the health and education sectors and that the village/ward secretariat had made the government more accessible to the general public.

On MLA Siva Kumar's prospects of winning, Sarma stated that throughout his five-year tenure, he was accessible to the public. He reached out to people through door-to-door campaigns. Earlier, MLAs from Guntur and other districts ran for office in Tenali, but they spent time in Hyderabad or their home districts.

Sarma also acknowledged that Nadendla Manohar, the former assembly speaker, was instrumental in Tenali's growth. However, he pointed out that Manohar is contesting as a joint candidate of TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP combination, an alliance that lacks public trust.

YSRCP should focus on both development and welfare equally

K Narasimha Murthy, a faculty at a private college in Tenali said that the sitting MLA had developed the constituency by establishing Rythu Bharosa Kendras, urban health centers, and drains in the last five years. But Siva Kumar lagged in repairing the damaged roads, especially between Tenali and Vijayawada. He also did not take any measures to develop the drains to get irrigation water to the tail-end lands.

Narasimha Murthy said that voters in Tenali town would vote for a party that provides solutions to their day-to-day issues including housing, road networks, and drinking water. He said rural voters may be swayed by a casteist strategy. In such a scenario, the YSRCP should focus on infrastructure development, apart from implementing welfare schemes in the constituency to retain Tenali, he added.

Overview of Tenali Assembly constituency

Tenali is one of the seven assembly segments that make up the Guntur Lok Sabha constituency. The two mandals in the constituency are Tenali and Kollipara which have approximately 2.62 lakh electors. Kammas form the major vote bank in the constituency.

Tenali City is renowned for art, culture, and drama. Situated in the Andhra Pradesh rice bowl, analogous to Paris, the three canals from the Krishna River flow through the city. Tenali is referred to as "Andhra Paris" with fondness.

Tenali has given Tollywood some of the finest actors. They include superstar Ghantamaneni Krishna, Gummadi Venkateswara Rao, Kongara Jaggiah, and yesteryear heroines Jamuna, Kanchanamala, Savitri and Sarada hailed.

The incumbent MLA Annabathina Siva Kumar from the YSRCP had won the 2019 Assembly elections securing 45.92 percent of the total votes polled. He had defeated TDP candidate Alapati Rajendra Prasad and Jana Sena candidate Nadendla Manohar.

Since 1952, the Congress won five times in the constituency in 1952, 1955, 1962, 1989 and 2009. The TDP also won in 1983, 1985, 1994, 1999, and 2014 independent candidates, and the candidates from Janata Party and the YSRCP won the constituency in 1972, 1978, and 2019 respectively.