A keen contest awaits at the Araku Assembly constituency between two former government teachers—R. Matsyalingam (YSRCP) and Pangi Raja Rao (BJP).
Until about a month ago, it looked like Mr. Matsyalingam had the upper hand in the constituency as there was visible dissent within the TDP cadre over the candidacy of S. Donnu Dora, as announced by their party chief in January. However, after the alliance parties, during the seat-sharing, announced Mr. Raj Rao as their candidate, the leaders of TDP and BJP started to work together and intensified their campaign, making it seem like Mr. Matsyalingam’s prospects were dwindling.
The frenzy over the opposition party’s ticket allotment for the Assembly constituency began in January when TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, during his ‘Ra Kadali Ra’ campaign in Araku Valley, announced Mr. Dora as the party’s MLA candidate. This led to S. Abraham, a TDP leader in the region and a ticket aspirant, expressing dissent and staying away from the party programmes.
However, after Mr. Raja Rao’s name was finalised as the alliance candidate for the constituency, Mr. Dora announced that he would be contesting as Independent candidate.
Turn of tide
The tide seemed to turn in favour of the BJP candidate when Brahmin Corporation Chairman Sitharamaraju Sudhakar organised a meeting between Mr. Dora and Mr. Naidu where the issue was said to be resolved. Following the meeting with his party chief, Mr. Dora called for a get-together with the supporters and the TDP leaders of Araku Valley and urged them to support the BJP candidate and the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance.
With the support of BJP MP candidate Kothapalli Geetha, the alliance party leaders have been conducting serious campaigns and road shows. Recently, actor-turned-politician and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar also campaigned for the BJP in Araku.
Dark period
Araku Valley Assembly constituency is an ST-reserved constituency and was formed in 2009 after the Delimitation Orders. Siveri Soma from TDP won the election in 2009, beating Congress candidate by only 400 votes. During the 2014 elections, Kidari Sarveswara Rao from the YSRCP won, but he later joined the TDP. The year 2018 proved to be a dark era in the Araku Valley politics when both Mr. Soma and Mr. Sarveswara Rao were killed by the Maoists at Dumbriguda.
In the 2019 elections, Ch. Phalguna from YSRCP won with a good majority, while slain TDP leader Mr. Sarveswara Rao’s son Kidari Sravan could get only 18 % of the vote share.
Sitting MLA support
With a strong cadre and grip over the constituency right from the booth level, the ruling YSRCP candidates have been strongly dependent on their party’s welfare programmes to win them votes. A former government teacher, Navy personnel, and current ZPTC member from Hukumpeta, YSRCP’s candidate Mr. Matsyalingam is actively engaged with the people at the grassroots. He also is known to have strong backing from the present MLA Ch. Phalguna.
On the other hand, BJP candidate Mr. Raja Rao has been working in the Agency for a long time as a student leader and a government teacher. He has also contested from the BSP and as an Independent in the previous elections. After joining the BJP, Mr. Raja Rao is said to have strengthened his ground and built a good cadre base. Now, he is being backed by TDP leader Donnu Dora and BJP MP candidate Geetha.
The TDP- BJP – JSP alliance candidates allege that despite huge funds being sanctioned to the tribal regions by the BJP government, most of the areas in the region still lack basic amenities like road connectivity and medical facilities.
The YSRCP leaders, however, allege that the BJP will exploit the natural resources in the tribal region by joining hands with private corporate if it comes to power.
