Bhupal Reddy facing strong anti-incumbency in Narayankhed, improving BJP’s clout may split opposition vote favouring BRS

Assembly Constituency: Narayankhed

District: Sangareddy

MLA: Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy (Reddy)

Total Voters: 2,07,497

Booths: 296

Urban Voters: 8%

Rural Voters:92%

Male: 51%

Female: 49%

Caste & Religious Demography:

• Gen + OBC: 68.7%

• SC: 17%

• ST: 14.2%

• Hindu:90.6%

• Muslim: 7.9%

• Others: 1.5%

Candidates

Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy (BRS)

Bhupal Reddy was born in Khanpur village, Kalher mandal, Sangareddy district. He obtained a B.Sc. degree from Osmania University, Hyderabad in 1981. His father, Mahareddy Venkat Reddy, also served as an Independent MLA from this constituency in 1972 and 1983. Later, he joined the TDP.

Patolla Sanjeev Reddy (Congress)

Sanjeev Reddy (53) did MBBS from Bangalore Medical College in 1986 and completed DCH from JNMC, Dharwad University in 1992. Sanjeeva Reddy’s political journey started with the BJP. He contested in the 2018 elections on a BJP ticket and lost. Now he has joined the Congress.

Jenawada Sangappa (BJP)

Sangappa is a journalist and senior spokesperson with the State unit of the BJP. Born on September 4, 1976, in Chowkanpally Village, to Kanteppa and Shanthamma. He completed his schooling at Zilla Parishad High School, Nizampet, and pursued his intermediate education at VSS Junior College, Siddipet. He earned his BCJ degree from Kakatiya University and MCJ from the same institution.

Assembly constituency information:

• Narayankhed Assembly constituency has borders with Karnataka and Maharashtra.

• Narayanakhed was in Bidar district till 1952. After the reorganisation of the State, it was included in Andhra Pradesh.

• Geographically, this constituency consists of Kangti, Manoor, Kalher and Shankarampet Mandals and Narayankhed Town

• It is one of the most backward constituencies in Telangana.

• The seat is a traditional stronghold of the Congress. It was dominated by the families of Patolla Kishta Reddy and Suresh Kumar Shetkar of the Congress. While one of them contested in the Assembly, the other would contest for the Zaheerabad Parliament seat.

• In the 2014 Assembly elections, Kishta Reddy won this seat, and he passed away in 2016, which necessitated the by-election.

• In the 2016 by-election with the intervention of T Harish Rao and the influence of the BRS government, BRS candidate Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy won the seat defeating Patolla Sanjeev Reddy.

• In the 2018 Assembly election, as per the agreement, the seat was allotted to Suresh Kumar Shektar from the Congress and Patolla Sanjeev Reddy shifted his loyalties to the BJP. The split of both Shektar and Patolla helped the BRS to win the seat.

Cultural

Lingayath Muth

MLA Profile:

Profession: Business person

Political background: Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy started his career with the TDP and contested the 2009 Assembly elections. But he was unsuccessful and stood distinctive third. He later joined the BRS and contested in the 2014 Assembly elections. He was once again unsuccessful. Later in the 2016 by-election and 2018 Assembly elections, he won the seat.

Financial strength: Strong

Remarks: Inaccessible to cadre and people, allegations of corruption, involvement in liquor business

2014 Assembly Analysis:

• The united fight of Shektar and Patolla Krishna Reddy and the not-so-cohesive fight of Mahareddy Bhupal Reddy (BRS) and Mahareddy Vijaya Reddy (TDP), led to the victory of Kishta Reddy.

• Kishta Reddy won this seat by a 14,000 margin. The Reddies, ST, and Lingayath voters supported the Congress.

2018 Analysis:

• Patolla Sanjeev Reddy contested for the BJP and secured 33,060 votes and the Congress candidate Shektar secured 37,000 votes.

• The BRS candidate polled 95,000. He got 2,000 more votes compared to the 2016 by-election. The infighting in the Congress led to Sanjeev Reddy joining the BJP.

• The triangular contest and split vote helped the BRS candidate to win again.

Current Situation:

Sanjeev Reddy and Vijay Reddy are both in the BJP now. Suresh Shekthar is with the Congress. There is strong anti-incumbency against Bhupal Reddy. If the BJP can put up a united fight with the help of Vijay Reddy and Sanjeev Reddy, there is a chance for Sangappa to win this Assembly seat.

Key Local Issues:

The people are demanding that Narayakhed be recognised as a special district on the lines of  the Hyderabad-Karnataka region's special status

Drinking water, migration, and human trafficking are other major issues.