In YSR family’s Kadapa fortress, Jagan sits pretty despite sister Sharmila, TDP’s bids to queer pitch

“Why would we vote for someone else this time? What has changed this time that will lead us to change our almost 50-year-old loyalties? Jagan will win with an even greater majority than 2019,” says a local resident as he hands over a glass of sugarcane juice to his friend at a stall. Several people gathered there nod in agreement.

This time, Jagan will be up against M Ravindranath Reddy, known as BTech Ravi, of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The TDP had got 27% and 23% of the votes in the 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections, respectively. In contrast, Jagan’s vote share had increased to 73.5% in 2019 from 68.8% in 2014.

A little further from the European-style main road near the huge Mahatma Gandhi statue adjacent to a swanky bus stand and government school, a group of locals has gathered around the YSRCP workers, who are explaining Jagan’s welfare schemes. “Anna, maaku enduku cheptunnavu? Maa vote YSR ke (Brother, why are you telling us? Our vote is for YSR),” 35-year-old Swati tells one of the party workers.

The YSRCP, which was floated by Jagan in 2012 after he walked out of the Congress following his father’s death in 2009, enjoys the same support here that the Congress did during the YSR era.

About 20 km away from Pulivendla is Vemula mandal. Here too, the support for Jagan is unwavering but with some riders. “He has developed Pulivendla town but has not developed surrounding mandals as much. This time when he becomes CM, he must implement the Pulivendla Minor Irrigation Scheme (worth Rs 2,500 crore) to rid us of our water issues,” 44-year-old Chengal Reddy says.

Similar sentiments are expressed by many in the villages of Vempalle mandal, around 30 km from Vemula.

The YSRCP camp exudes confidence as Jagan’s wife Bharathi holds fort in Pulivendla as her husband tours the state seeking a second term. “Bharathi akka is Jagan’s representative here. She is going among the people to spread Jagan’s message. We will win by a thumping majority,” says K Suresh Babu, Kadapa mayor, who is overseeing Jagan’s campaign in the Kadapa district.

The TDP is aware of the huge challenge the party faces in Pulivendla. A close aide of Ravi admits it would be difficult to breach the YSRCP fortress. “This is a legacy seat for the YSR family and we are aware of the challenges but what happened with B Tech Ravi in the Y S Vivekananda Reddy (Jagan’s uncle) murder case has bolstered his prospects. We will improve on our past performance,” he says.

Cousins Avinash and Sharmila are facing each other in the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. (Express File Photo)

Ravi, who has been slamming Kadapa MP Y S Avinash Reddy and the CM over the Vivekananda Reddy murder case, was grilled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Andhra Pradesh Police in December 2019 in the case. Former Kadapa MP Vivekananda Reddy was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his Pulivendla home weeks ahead of the 2019 polls. The case was later taken on by the CBI. The trial in the matter has been pending in a CBI court in Hyderabad.

The case again hogged the limelight after a Kadapa court last month restrained the Opposition leaders, including Andhra Congress chief and Jagan’s sister Y S Sharmila, from mentioning the case in their campaign as it “defames” Jagan and his cousin Avinash Reddy, who is again the YSRCP’s candidate from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat.

Despite the court order, Sharmila has however continued to rake up the issue, saying it is her constitutional right. “I am not spreading lies or defaming anyone. I am just stating what is already in the public domain,” she told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, the battle for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat is seen as a test for the “true claimant of YSR’s legacy”. The Vivekananda murder case seems to have taken precedence over other issues like drinking water problems, expansion of the Kadapa airport, illegal sand mining and the proposed Kadapa Steel Plant.

Sharmila is contesting the Kadapa seat as the Congress’s face. Her entry into the fray has forced an intra-YSR family contest in Kadapa for the first time since its members began contesting from here in 1989 without ever losing the seat so far. She has sought to frame the contest as a “justice vs crime” battle.

With Vivekananda’s daughter Sunitha Narreddy by her side, Sharmila has been travelling across the constituency, invoking YSR and urging voters not to vote for her cousin Avinash, who has been named as an accused in Vivekananda murder case.

“Nenu Rajasekhara Reddy bidda. Mee aashirwadam kosam ochanu. Naa gurthu ayna gurthu okate. (I am YSR’s daughter. I want your blessings. My symbol is the same as his). I decided to enter the fray to fight for justice for my uncle,” she tells a gathering at Pamulur.

However, several locals do not seem to be impressed. They claim she did not do the right thing by going against her brother. “The YSR family is revered here. She should have stood by her brother and her family,” says Lekha, a homemaker.

A banana plantation owner Muthireddy says Sharmila has no claim on YSR’s legacy. “We see YSR in Jagan and this will continue till he is in politics. (Sharmila) is no match for him. Moreover, she went away and returned with the Congress, which is a changed party after YSR’s death,” he says, referring to her brief political stint in neighbouring Telangana.

Pulivendla is among the seven Assembly segments – Badvel, Kadapa, Kamalapuram, Jammalamadugu, Proddatur and Mydukur – falling under the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, which has elected members of the YSR family with a over 50% vote share in every election since 1989.

Around 70 km away in Kadapa, Avinash addresses a gathering, where he showcases the welfare schemes of the YSRCP government, urging people not to vote for those who “divide families”.

“Kadapa is an important area of focus for us as it has a sizeable population of minorities. They have been traditional voters of the Congress and with Sharmila’s entry, she may split some pro-YSRCP votes,” says a close aide of Avinash. Minorities, including Muslims and Christians, make up about 19% of the population in the Kadapa constituency.

The TDP has fielded C Bhupesh Reddy for the Lok Sabha seat and hopes that the split of votes between the cousins would improve its nominee’s chances. “We have a solid 30% vote base here and a split in votes will definitely help us. Plus, we have the votes of (allies) JanaSena Party and BJP on our side too,” says M Bhupal Reddy, a local TDP leader in Badvel.

Another TDP leader claims it is the party’s “best chance to win”. “Never have two members of the YSR family contested here. There is bound to be a split in the vote,” he says.

A voter in Kadapa town, Sheikh Anwaruddin, says: “Kadapa was YSR’s and will remain so. Whether it will remain with his son or daughter or both, we will know on June 4. I am with Jagan.”