Giant killer Chittaranjan Das, now from BJP, tests water in Jadcherla, keen fight between BRS, Congress in agrarian constituency

Assembly Constituency: Jadcherla

District: Mahbubnagar

MLA: Charlakola Laxma Reddy (Reddy)

Total Voters: 2,06,064

Booths: 274

Urban Voters: 18%

Rural Voters: 82%

Male: 51%

Female:49%

Caste & Religious Demography:

• Gen + OBC: 66 %

• SC: 17 %

• ST: 15 %

• Hindu: 90 %

• Muslim: 8 %

• Others : 2 %

Candidates

Charlakola Laxma Reddy (BRS)

Laxma Reddy was born in Jadcherla and hails from Avancha village of Thimmajipet Mandal. He received his Bachelor's degree in Homoeopathic medical sciences from Gulbarga, Karnataka. He was a student union president. Later, he practised as a Homoeopathic doctor at Jadcherla before entering into politics. He served as the first Energy Minister for Telangana and then was moved to take over the Health portfolio. He is the present MLA of Jadcherla.

J Anirudh Reddy (Congress)

Known for his scathing attack on the functioning of TPCC president Revanth Reddy in a letter to the AICC in-charge Mainckam Tagore, J Anirudh Reddy is the party incharge in Jadcherla. He was appointed in that position when Uttam Kumar Reddy was president of the TPCC. He joined the Congress in 2019. Earlier, he was in social service. In his letter, he expressed his resentment over working with former MLA Erra Shekhar. In his letter, Anirudh Reddy claimed that Shekhar has a known criminal background with nine murder cases against him, including that of his own brother. He alleged that Shekhar had not changed his ways after joining the Congress, and had been preventing him from working on the ground.

Chittaranjan Das (BJP)

Congress leader and former Minister Chittaranjan Das is known as a ‘giant killer’ as he defeated the mighty NTR in 1989 in Kalwakurthy constituency. He was the Tourism Minister in the Marri Chenna Reddy Cabinet and BC Welfare Minister in the N Janardhana Reddy Cabinet. After that, he lost the 1994 elections and was denied a ticket in 1999. He then joined the TDP and from there he shifted his loyalties to the PRP. After losing Kalwakurthy in the 2009 elections on the PRP ticket he returned to the Congress fold. Upon refusal of a ticket by Congress, he joined the BRS. But the BRS nominated Jaipal Yadav from Kalwakurthy. Chittaranjan Das joined the BJP two months ago and was nominated for the Jadcherla seat with the support of G Kishan Reddy.

Assembly constituency information:

Geography:

Jedcharla Assembly constituency is located next to NH-44 and Hyderabad.

Jadcharla, Midjil, Balanagar and Nawabpet mandals are part of Jadcherla Assembly constituency.

Background:

Economy: Agriculture and agriculture-related work are the main livelihood activities. Jadcherla agriculture market yard is the biggest market in the entire erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. Reddies are politically and economically dominant.

MLA Profile:

Personal Background:

Dr. C. Laxma Reddy is a Homoeopathy doctor by profession. He is a landlord and he belongs to Avancha village in Thimmajipeta mandal.

Political Background:

He started his political career as a sarpanch in his own village. He was a hardcore BRS loyalist and has been part of the BRS since its inception in 2004. He contested as a BRS candidate and was elected as an MLA and, as part of the Congress-BRS alliance, he was inducted as a minister into the YSR Cabinet. Later in 2008, he resigned as an MLA and lost in the by-elections. Again in 2009, as part of the alliance, he lost the ticket to Erra Shekar. In 2014 and 2018, he won as an MLA from the BRS.

Cultural :

Laxmi Chennakeshava temple in Gangapuram village.

Profession:

Financial Strength: Moderate

2014 Assembly analysis:

In 2014, Laxma Reddy won from the BRS and became Health Minister in the KCR Cabinet. Telangana's sentiment and the sympathy gained from losing in the 2008 by-election and in the 2009 Assembly elections helped him win the 2014 elections. The Reddy community supported him.

He defeated Mallu Ravi of the Congress.

2018 Assembly analysis:

• Telangana welfare schemes helped him to win in 2018 and, along with that, various factors like his developmental activities such as medical college between Mahbubnagar and Jadcherla, underground drainage works, road widening and construction of new market building, etc.

• In 2018, too, Laxma Reddy defeated Malli Ravi, his old rival. Welfare schemes, Reddy community support, and the largest social groups Mudhiraj and Yadavas made Laxma Reddy win.

• The number of votes polled for Laxma Reddy increased from 70,654 in 2014 to 94,598 in 2028.

Current situation:

• In the present situation, Laxma Reddy has his own cadre and support from all the people, irrespective of caste.

• He focuses on developmental works, particularly education.

• Internal roads and expansion of Jedcharla agricultural market yard were completed

• In recent municipal elections, the BRS got a full-fledged majority, and Laxma Reddy, with gratitude for the 2018 elections, gave the municipal chairman's post to the Mudhiraj community.

• Dorepally Laxmi Ravindar Mudhiraj, a prominent leader in Jedcharla, is with Laxma Reddy

Key local issues:

• Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation project.

• Water released from the project

• Completion of Karvena reservoir.

• Uddandapur irrigation water canal.

• Laxmidhevipally irrigation project