Apart from Kuppam and Pulivendula, Tekkali is another Assembly constituency where the stakes are at their peak. It is about to witness key opposition leader and sitting MLA K. Atchannaidu vying with sitting MLC of the ruling party, Duvvada Srinivas. Apart from promising a keen contest, the election poses a do-or-die situation for these two candidates.
Tekkali Assembly constituency has been a stronghold of the TDP and was once represented by the TDP founder and former Chief Minister N.T. Ramarao in the 1994 assembly elections.
The ruling YSRCP is making every effort to defeat Tekkali MLA and TDP state president K. Atchannaidu in the upcoming Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Mr. Atchannaidu was one of the few leaders of the Telugu Desam who managed to retain their seats as his party suffered a crushing defeat in the State at the hands of YSRCP candidates in the 2019 elections. He won in the constituency with a decisive majority of 8,857 votes, over YSRCP candidate Perada Tilak in the elections
This year, the YSRCP has brought into the fray its MLC, Duvvada Srinivas, who was also the MP candidate for the Srikakulam Lok Sabha segment in the previous election. However, this won’t be the first time Mr. Srinivas is competing with Mr. Atchannaidu.
In 2014 elections, Mr. Srinivas contested against the TDP leader and lost.
Similarly, Mr. Atchannaidu is no stranger to defeat either and lost in the 2009 Assembly election and a byelection that followed, from the same constituency in the hands of Congress candidate Korla Revatipathi by a margin of 1,893 votes.
However, Mr. Revathipathi died even before the oath-taking ceremony, leading to a byelection in which Mr. Atchannaidu lost again at the hands of Korla Bharati, wife of Mr. Revathipathi, by a margin of 7,173 votes.
Given the political dynamics of the constituency, the ruling YSRCP has fielded Mr. Srinivas, who rose to fame by his consistent criticism of Mr. Atchannaidu’s work. Mr. Srinivas says he is confident of his victory, adding that the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government spent around ₹7,000 crore on the development of the Tekkali region in the last five years and took up Mulapeta seaport, which would ensure livelihood for thousands of people in the region.
“Mr. Atchannaidu did nothing for Tekkali in the last five years. The people who supported him in previous elections are keen to vote for YSRCP, which has effectively implemented welfare schemes in the region, including Nimmada village, the native place of Mr. Atchannaidu,” Mr. Srinivas said.
As part of its efforts to ensure a win in the constituency, the YSRCP has reportedly instructed the party regional coordinator, Y.V. Subba Reddy and party senior leader and A.P. Maritime Board Chairman Kayala Venkata Reddy, among other leaders, to take care of the campaign affairs in Tekkali. Mr. Venkat Reddy has even camped in Tekkali to review the party’s progress in the constituency.
On the other hand, Mr. Atchannaidu also exudes confidence in victory and has been extensively campaigning in the constituency by promoting his party’s manifesto.
Another candidate to watch out for in this constituency is former Union Minister Killi Kruparani, who is contesting on a Congress ticket after resigning from the YSRCP recently.
While Mr. Srinivas and Ms. Kruparani belong to a dominant Kalinga community, Mr. Atchannaidu belongs to the Velama community, which also has a sizeable population in the constituency.
As much as a tall leader he is, Mr. Atchannaidu is no exception to facing some level of internal dissidence within the TDP. However, this time, it is said to have come from Kalamata Venkataramana, a leader belonging to the Kapu community in the neighbouring Pathapatnam Assembly constituency where Kapus and the scheduled caste population are dominant. Mr. Venakta Ramana alleged that Mr. Atchannaidu was responsible for the denial of the ticket to him. However, the party took damage control measures and made Mr. Venkata Ramana as the party’s Srikakulam district president.
