Kukatpally assembly segment in Cyberabad zone is long known as a strong hold of Telugu Desam Party. In 2014, TDP gave its ticket to Madhavaram Krishna Rao who won with a majority of 43,000 votes. His good show created sensation in political circles at that time as it came despite the strong Telangana sentiment that blew against TDP. Now, Krishna Rao shifted his loyalties and he is contesting on TRS ticket.

Under the ‘Mahakutami’ alliance seat sharing, the Congress allotted Kukatpally seat for TDP. Considering it to be a prestigious segment, TDP has fielded Nandamuri Suhasini, daughter of former minister late Harikrishna. TDP’s idea is to prevent TRS from winning the seat by using the charisma of NTR family and also by taking advantage of the sympathy factor that would come in the wake of sudden passing away of Harikrishna in a road accident a few months ago.

Though all the alliance partners are cooperating in the segment, Suhasini’s candidature is not going to be a smooth show. Even the possibility of star campaigners like Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram is not going to give her a clear edge. Even AP CM Chandrababu Naidu and AICC president Rahul Gandhi are going to address in a road show in the segment soon. However, analysts say that TRS nominee Krishna Rao will give very tough competition to Suhasini.

Seeing concentration of TDP’s energies in Kukatpally, TRS Minister K. Taraka Rama Rao has also paid special attention to this segment. Already, TRS has won over to its side an important local organiser of TDP. Madhavaram Ranga Rao, a long-time coordinator for TDP locally, has left the party citing lesser importance to him after Suhasini’s candidature was announced.

Moreover, while Suhasini is a political novice, her rival Krishna Rao is an experienced leader with 30 years of long political career behind him.

G.Ravikiran