Trouble brewing in KCR’s backyard, Medak district

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) founder and Chief Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, for the first time after the 2014 elections is facing trouble in his own backyard, the erstwhile Medak district. KCR was born in Chintamadaka of Siddipet which is now a separate district. As a son of the soil, KCR should not have any trouble winning all the ten assembly segments with his hands down. But trouble was brewing at pockets that would mean the loss of seats to the opposition “Praja Kutami” determined to cause a serious dent to TRS.

Out of the ten constituencies TRS has won in eight and the Congress won two during the 2014 elections. The strength of TRS rose to nine after the death of Patolla Kista Reddy of Congress, TRS candidate Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy won the seat.

While the caretaker Chief Minister KCR is contesting from his constituency Gajwel for the second time, his nephew and irrigation minister T Harish Rao is contesting from Siddipet hoping for a second hat trick, former Congress deputy chief Minister Damodar Rajnarsimha is contesting from Andole, former Congress minister V Sunitha Reddy from Narsapur, deputy speaker in the dissolved Assembly Padma Devender Reddy from Medak are some of the key segments where the fight is keen.

The trouble has come in the shape of oustees of the projects envisaged by KCR and his nephew T Harish Rao the state irrigation minister. Villagers of at least five villages earmarked for submergence by Mallannasagar and Kondapochamma reservoirs say that they will not vote for TRS. The Congress candidate V. Pratap Reddy who has considerable clout in rural Gajwel is giving a tough competition to KCR. The alleged police raids on Reddy’s houses in Gajwel and Hyderabad also tarnished the image of the caretaker government.

In the handloom town of Dubbak, S. Ramalinga Reddy of TRS is also facing the heat of the project oustees from four villages that fall under the constituency. A former journalist Reddy has found some support is senior TDP leader Cheruku Mutyam Reddy TRS recently consolidating Reddy votes. In Narsapur segment close to Hyderabad former minister and DCC president V. Sunitha Lakshma Reddy has considerable goodwill in the constituency which also has a huge number of settlers working in nearby industries. She is giving a tough fight against TRS candidate Ch. Madan Reddy. KCR and TPCC working President A Revanth Reddy have completed a round of campaign in Narsapur.

Here in Sangereddy, one the district headquarters of Medak district Congress candidate Toorpu Jayaprakash Reddy is giving a tough fight to TRS candidate Chinta Prabhakar and Congress aspirant T. Jayaprakash Reddy. Sangareddy which has a huge presence Muslims traditionally voted for Congress but the AIMIM has given a call that the Muslims must vote for TRS candidates wherever there are no Majlis candidates.

Another tough fight for TRS is in Andole segment, where the former deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha is pitted against TRS candidate and Journalist Chanti Kranti Kiran. Former TRS MLA and actor Babumohan joined BJP and is trying his luck. Former Congress J. Geeta Reddy is a formidable candidate who earlier represented Gajwel.