TDP tries to cash in on cracks in Praja Rajyam bottomline

Cracks in Praja Rajyam have pushed the Telugu Desam Party into an advantageous position in East Godavari district, which has 19 Assembly and three Lok Sabha constituencies, though only the poll outcome can show how much the TDP could capitalise on the situation.

The advent of the PR and the extensive campaign by its chief Chiranjeevi have made things difficult for the Congress, which nearly swept the district in 2004 Assembly elections. But fast-changing equations have made the contest triangular in most places, though the Congress is bogged down with anti-incumbency or is facing the problem of poor choice of candidates in several constituencies.

Rebels are giving pinpricks to the ruling party at two places – prominent among them is sitting MLA Mutha Gopalakrishna from Kakinada Urban. The PR has a rebel in one Assembly seat.

Caste factor has come to stay and Chiranjeevi was expected to profit from it. But, thanks to the newly surfaced dissensions within the PR, popular leaders like Bommana Rajakumar, Margani Nageswara Rao, Girijala Venkataswamy Naidu and Sangeeta Venkata Reddy have quit the party giving tense moments to the contestants.

People belonging to BCs, who supported the PR in the beginning, slowly moved out of the PR alleging that there was no social justice in it and that they were given a raw deal. The TDP and the Congress are sparing no efforts to curry favour from this situation.

The party nominee Chalamalasetty Sunil is locked in a triangular fight with TDP’s Vasamsetty Satya and Congress candidate M.M. Pallam Raju in Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency.

Movie stars’ tussle

While Congress candidate Vundavalli Aruna Kumar’s campaign is yet to commence, Rajahmundry Lok Sabha seat is witnessing a fight between movie stars M. Murali Mohan (TDP) and U.V. Krishnam Raju (PR). Mr. Raju hasn’t stepped up his campaign, while Mr. Murali Mohan is way ahead of his rivals.

The PR is strong in Konaseema area and is ahead in six Assembly segments while the TDP is strong in one seat. G.V. Harsha Kumar of the Congress is facing a tough time in Amalapuram LS (SC) constituency from where Potula Prameela Devi of the PR, wife of Malamhanadu founder PV Rao, and Gedela Varalakshmi of TDP are contesting.

Hibernation

Former Minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham entered the fray on behalf of the Congress after a prolonged hibernation against former MP Vanga Geetha pitted by the PR.