Kadapa District, A YSRCP Stronghold
Kadapa is one of the four districts adding up to the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, considered to be economically, the most backward part of the state. Rajampet and Kadapa are the two Lok Sabha constituencies from the district.
While 7 assembly seats of the 10 in the district come under Rajampet Lok Sabha constituency, 3 fall under Kadapa.
The name Kadapa is etymologically believed to have been derived from Gadapa in Telugu meaning threshold. The ancient village of Kadapa is said to have been a gateway and a camping site to pilgrims travelling to the sacred shrine of Tirupati.
Kadapa is seen as a seat of culture from ancient times. Paleolithic rock paintings discovered at Chintakunta caves near Muddanuru in the district are known to be the second largest group of paintings in the country after Bhimbhetika rock art paintings. Other paleolithic sites were also found in the district.
Kadapa is also known to be a great centre of Buddhism and Jainism. The Rayalaseema region is believed to have been ruled over the Rayalu monarchs of the Vijayanagara empire.
Among the cultural giants of the area is Annamacharya, the 15th-century saint and musician, known for his immortal devotional keertanas, who hailed from Tallapaka near Rajampet mandal in present-day Kadapa district.
Potuluri Veera Brahmam, a sage who championed the cause of an egalitarian society also belonged to the district. In more recent times, legendary Telugu film producer, B. Nagi Reddy, who set up the Vijaya Vauhini Studios, at one time, Asia's biggest, hailed from Pottipadu village in Proddatur of Kadapa district.
Nagi Reddy gave Telugu cinema timeless classics like Patala Bhairavi (1951), Missamma (1955), Maya Bazaar (1957) and Gundamma Katha (1962). He also produced some Hindi films, most notably, Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Julie (1975).
In recent years, Kadapa has come to be associated with the late Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy and was hence named after him as the YSR Kadapa district after his untimely demise.
During his tenure, Dr. YSR ensured all-round development of the district. Known as the 'heart' of Rayalaseema, YSR Kadapa has rivers like Penna, Papagni, Cheyyeru, Chitravathi, Kunderu and Sagileru, among others.
Sileru, Gandikota, Mylavaram, KC Canal are among the ongoing irrigation projects which were completed Dr. YSR's time. Locals lament that Gandikota reservoir, most of which had been completed by Dr. YSR, has neglected. KC Canal basin tells a similar story, as does the Galeru-Nagari scheme.
Villagers complain that not even 25% of the Gandikota reservoir basin is being filled. While YSR gave an impetus to irrigation projects in this drought-hit area, the TDP has neglected YSR Kadapa viewing it as a YSRCP stronghold. Farmers in Rayachoti, Badvel and Kamalapuram are among the worst-hit.
Chandrababu Naidu had promised water supply through tankers to farmers, who continue to suffer on a daily basis. They lament that there is no crop insurance or input subsidy.
The TDP did not take up the proposal of the Kadapa steel plant in right earnest, while the YSR Congress Party had been waging a tireless struggle for setting up a steel plant at Kadapa.
The Centre has in recent years, sought proposals from the TDP on natural resources and infrastructure in the prescribed format, but the Chandrababu government did not take it forward with sincerity. Instead, the TDP tried to play to the gallery by getting Rajya Sabha MP, CM Ramesh and others to stage token protests.
Similarly, while locals expected the TDP government to set up the High Court here, that did not happen, and not even a HC Bench was considered when it came to Kadapa.
YSR Kadapa district has a population of 28,85,000 and has a large section of Muslim minorities. The minority community feels cheated by Chandrababu who had promised an Urdu University to be set up here, but later gave the nod for it to be established at Kurnool.
Similarly, Chandrababu Naidu had promised the setting up of Haj House in Kadapa, but relocated it at Vijayawada. Instead, Kadapa was considered for a branch office of the Haj House, though it has the highest percentage of Muslims among all districts of the state.
2019 Election scene:
In the Lok Sabha battle YS Avinash Reddy faces off against Adinarayana Reddy of the TDP in what is commonly seen as the YSR family’s stronghold.
Assembly
In Jammalamadugu assembly constituency M Sudheer Reddy of the YSRCP takes on Ponnupureddy Rama Subba Reddy of the TDP.
Proddatur will be a scene of an electoral battle between YSR Congress party‘s heavyweight Rachamallu Siva Prasad Reddy and Linga Reddy of the TDP.
In Mydukur Assembly constituency Raghurami Reddy Settipally faces off against of Putta Sudhakar Yadav of the TDP. It must be mentioned here that the TDP candidate is a close relative of the finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.
Kamalapuram will see a fight between YSRCP’s Pochimareddy Ravindranath Reddy and Putha Narasimha Reddy of the TDP.
In Badvel constituency reserved for members of the SC communities Gunthoti Venkata Subbiah of the YSRCP takes on Obulapuram Rajasekhar of the TDP.
The Kadapa seat, a stronghold of the YSR Congress party will witness a face-off between Amjad Basha Shaik Bepari and Ameer Babu of the TDP. It may be recalled that it was reported that Ameer Babu had complained about non-cooperation of other TDP leaders in what seemed to be a losing battle to him and broke down on the stage.
The President of the YSR Congress party YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is contesting from his home seat of Pulivendula, a bastion of the YSR family against Singareddy Venkata Satish Reddy of the TDP.
Rajampet will witness a fight between YSRCP’s Meda Venkata Mallikarjuna Reddy and Bathyala Changalrayudu of the TDP.
In Koduru constituency reserved for members of the SC communities Koramutla Sreenivasulu of the YSRCP takes on Narasimha Prasad of the TDP.
The popular YSRCP candidate Gadikota Srikanth Reddy faces off against Reddyppagiri Ramesh Kumar Reddy of the TDP in Rayachoti assembly constituency.
Also Read: YS Jagan Becoming CM Will Make Kadapa Proud: Mayor
