Uravakonda constituency in Anantapur has a unique distinction. The party that wins in Uravakonda has never been able to form the government in the state. In 2014, YSRCP’s Visweswara Reddy defeated TDP’s Payyavula Keshav. But the TDP came to power leaving YSRCP in the lurch. This time around, TDP’s Keshav won, but the government was formed by the YSRCP.
In fact, Uravakonda is only one of the three assembly constituencies in Rayalaseema where the YSRCP has lost, the others being Chandrababu Naidu’s Kuppam and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Hindupur. Many political watchers say Uravakonda was lost due to the internal groupism of the YSRCP. Since the founding, Uravakonda YSRCP has been divided into two groups – one led by Visweswar Reddy and the other by Sivarami Reddy.
To solve the leadership issue, YS Jagan made Visweswar Reddy the incharge of the assembly constituency, while Sivarami Reddy was made the MLC. Yet, differences continue to simmer and often they reach the boiling point. Recently, the two groups fiercely clashed during the flood relief distribution in Jeedipalli. Similarly the two groups fought pitched battles during the disbursal of welfare pensions in Penuguppa.
As if this was not enough, former MLA Visweswar Reddy’s brother Madhusudan Reddy too is vying for leadership. This has pitted both the brothers one against another. Now there are three clashing groups in the YSRCP in Uravakonda. Unfortunately, the party’s leadership has totally ignored these groups and has done nothing to sort out the issues between the three leaders. As a result, the party’s graph is plummeting in Uravakonda.
