Nizamabad constituency has turned into a citadelfor the TRS

This constituency which has turned into a citadel for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) after it had won all the seven segments in the Assembly elections with comfortable majority has assumed greater significance due to several factors. First, sitting MP K. Kavitha, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter has been renominated as the party candidate for the second time.

Second, the constituency has gained national attention following mass nominations by farmers protesting the Centre and State’s apathy in fulfilling their demands for a minimum support price for turmeric and red jowar.

Three, the Congress has pitted its All India secretary and two-time MP Madhu Yaskhi Goud while the has BJP fielded D. Arvind, younger son of TRS Rajya Sabha Member Dharmapuri Srinivas, making it a three-cornered contest.

Non-local winners

The constituency, comprising Nizamabad (Urban) and (Rural), Armoor, Bodhan, Balkonda in the district and Korutla and Jagtial segments in Jagtial district has a history of sending non-locals to the Lok Sabha.

Out of the 16 elections held so far, non-locals were elected nine times from here.

Harichandra Heda, a freedom fighter and close aide of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was elected three consecutive terms from 1952. He belonged to Delhi. M. Ram Gopal Reddy from Karimnagar held it in 1977, 1980 and 1984.

In 1996, P. Atmacharan Reddy, an NRI, and in 2004 and 2009 another NRI Madhu Yaskhi Goud got elected.

The constituency has a little over 15.53 lakh voters, and of them farmers constitute about 3.73 lakh. Women voters outnumber males. Adding to that are a considerable number of Muslim minorities and North Indian population.

In the Assembly elections 10.65 lakh voters exercised their franchise. Of which, the TRS got 5.55 lakh votes and Congress 3.30 lakh. BJP secured just 89,494 and others 84,252. Over 12,000 opted for NOTA. Further, the TRS secured more than 2.25 lakh votes over its main rival Congress.

Same old issues

Except in Bodhan where former Minister P. Sudarshan Reddy was defeated with a margin of 8,400, in all the segments the ruling party won with over 25,000 majority. Like in the last elections, in the current election too issues of remunerative price for crops, takeover of the Nizam Sugar Factory at Bodhan, funds for Telangana University, unemployment, and the fate of the SEZ at Lakkampally are going to figure prominently in the campaigns.

The Opposition is all set to expose the unkept promises of the TRS on all these issues while the ruling TRS is focusing on Rythu Bandhu, life insurance to farmers, pensions, KCR Kits, Shadi Mubarak and Kalyana Laxmi and KCR’s leadership and his Federal Front.

Ms. Kavitha is claiming credit for the completion of the long-pending Peddapally-Nizamabad railway line.

Congress is pinning its hopes on the Muslim votes saying the TRS would support the BJP post elections, while the BJP is banking on Modi’s charisma.

The district, with predominantly an agrarian economy, has no notable manufacturing units. But, no contestant or party is pointing it out as a poll issue.