KAKINADA
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has decided to play the Kapu card to register a victory for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Kakinada district, in which it has fielded Kapu leaders including two Cabinet Ministers in six seats out of seven Assembly constituencies in Kakinada district in the 2024 General Elections.
In Kakinada city, sitting YSRCP MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar, who belongs to the Reddy caste, is in the fray. In the only Lok Sabha constituency of Kakinada City, the YSRCP has allotted the seat to Kapu leader Chalamalasetti Sunil.
Building its base brick by brick, the Jana Sena Party (JSP) gained strength on all fronts after party chief supremo K. Pawan Kalyan completed his ‘Varahi Yatra’ in Kakinada district. The Kapu cadre began to support Mr. Pawan Kalyan after Mudragada Padmanabham quit the Kapu reservation movement citing his age.
Ruling party’s list
The six Kapu leaders being fielded in the Assembly elections in Kakinada district are Dadisetti Raja (Tuni Assembly constituency), Varupula Subba Rao (Prathipadu), Vanga Geetha (Pithapuram), Kurasala Kannababu (Kakinada Rural), Davuluri Dorababu (Peddapuram) and Thota Narasimham (Jaggampeta). Dadisetti Raja is the Roads and Buildings Minister and Kurasala Kannabu is the former Agriculture Minister in Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Cabinet.
Kakinada City sitting MP Vanga Geetha is the YSRCP’s only woman parliamentarian in the fray, in which she is contesting against Jana Sena Party chief K. Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram Assembly segment.
Mudragada’s role
In an attempt to woo the Kapu votes in Kakinada district, Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham is all set to extend his support to the YSRCP across Kakinada district. “I will campaign for the YSRCP in the 2024 general elections. I will also extend all support to register the victory against the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance for the YSRCP,” said Mr. Padmanabham in a press conference held recently.
Outside support
The YSRCP high command has also deputed its Godavari regional coordinator and MP P.V. Midhun Reddy to coordinate the election campaign in Pithapuram Assembly constituency. On March 16, TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu gave a call to the TDP cadre to strive for the victory of Mr. Pawan Kalyan in the Pithapuram constituency by convincing the cadre to withdraw their protests against Mr. Pawan Kalyan’s decision to contest from Pithapuram.
