Charismatic, hard-working KTR set to win Sircilla for the fifth time, Congress, BJP to split Reddy votes

Assembly Constituency: Sircilla

District: Rajanna Sircilla

MLA: Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (Velama)

Total Voters: 2,33,009

Booths: 287

Urban Voters: 28.%

Rural Voters: 72%%

Male: 50%

Female: 50%

Caste & Religious Demography:

• Gen + OBC: 78.5%

• SC: 16.6%

• ST: 4.9%

• Hindu: 94.3%

• Muslim: 4.6%

• Others: 1.1%

Candidates

KT Rama Rao (BRS)

Born in Siddipet on July 24, 1976, KTR is the son of K Chandrashekar Rao, the first Chief Minister of Telangana. He grew up in a politically-active family and completed his schooling at St. George’s Grammar School, Hyderabad before going to Nizam College, Hyderabad. He studied M.Sc. in Biotechnology at the University of Pune and also holds an MBA degree in Marketing and E-Commerce from City University of New York, USA. KTR is married to Shailima. The couple has two children son Himanshu Rao and daughter Alekhya Rao. KTR won from the Sircilla Assembly constituency for the first time in 2009. But he resigned in 2010 for the cause of separate Telangana and won again in the by-elections with a huge margin. He also won the seat in the next two elections, in 2014 and 2018.

Kondam Karuna Mahender Reddy (Congress)

K K Mahender Reddy is 62 year old. He completed B.Sc from SP College, Secunderabad in 1980-1983 and an L.L.B from the University College of Law, Osmani University  Hyderabad in 1986-1989. Confident of winning the elections based on the six guarantees that the party gave, Mahender Reddy is sure of victory against KTR. Reddy was once close to KCR but in later years, he quit the party over KCR choosing his son for Sircilla in 2009. He then joined the Congress.

Rani Rudrama Reddy (BJP)

A former journalist, Rani Rudrama, is the Telangana BJP spokesperson. This is the second time the BJP has been fielding a woman candidate against KTR. Her first stint with politics was with the YSRCP. She later joined the Yuva Telangana which later merged with the BJP.

AC information:

Geography: Sircilla consists of six mandals - Sircilla, Yellareddipet, Gambhiraopet, Mustabad, Thangalapalli, Veernapalli

Background: Though the Sircilla Assembly constituency is predominantly a backward class-dominated constituency, Velamas won the constituency all the time . Till now, Velama candidates won 12 times, while Reddys won only once in 1983 when the Telugu Desam Party’s V Mohan Reddy defeated his nearest Congress rival Regulapati Papa Rao a Velama.

This constituency is surrounded by Mm Maner and Upper Manair reservoirs.

MLA Profile:

From 2009 to 2014, 2014-2018, KTR served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Sircilla Assembly constituency from the BRS. From 2014 to 2016, he was the minister for panchayat raj & information technology.

KTR has been awarded Most Inspirational Icon of the Year 2015 by CNN-IBN and Ritz Magazine. He is multilingual, being fluent in Telugu, English, Hindi, and Urdu. In 2018, he served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the Sircilla Assembly constituency. He made a mark for himself by working hard and making key decisions to promote IT. He is also the working president of the BRS.

Cultural

Decades long weaver’s history

Singasamudram cheruvu

Vemulawada Rajarajeshawara temple

2014 Assembly analysis:

• Mahender Reddy took on KTR  in the 2009 Assembly elections. It was when the latter could scrape through the election with just 171 votes. At that time, Mahender Reddy was a BRS rebel. But in the 2010 by-election, KTR covered vast ground and won the election with a 68,220-vote margin over K.K. Mahender Reddy

• At the time of the 2010 by-polls, K.K. Mahender Reddy had joined the Congress but didn’t get a ticket in 2014.

• In the 2014 elections, there was a tacit understanding between KTR and Konduru Ravindra Rao. KTR was able to get a huge majority due to the Telangana wave and his ground-level connections in the constituency.

• The BJP, with the TDP alliance, was able to get core TDP votes.

2018 Assembly analysis:

• KTR has got a textile park sanctioned for Sircilla to provide employment and skill training for weavers. Wide roads, street lighting, and government hospitals have come up in this constituency, helping KTR retain this constituency by a splendid margin.

• Sircilla weavers got a government contract for 'Bathukamma' sarees, which are given to women during the Dussehra festival time, and also increased the living standards of power loom-dependent communities in the constituency. Weavers strongly supported KTR. 

• Congress candidate KK Mahinder Reddy was able to consolidate Reddies'  votes, and his own image helped him to garner traditional Congress votes.

Current Situation:

• There was anti-incumbency against KTR due to the Manair evacuation process.

• KTR is very active in the assembly and interacts with people.

• Congress candidate KK Mahinder Reddy is working on the ground and improving links with his cadre.

Key Local Issues:

1. Kaleshwaram backwaters

2. Reddy factor

3. Strong weaver community

4. Manair oustees issue