BRS reposes faith in Dharma Reddy; turncoat Revuri, doctor Kali Prasada Rao in triangular fight in Parkal

Assembly Constituency: Parkal

District: Warangal

MLA: Challa Dharma Reddy

Total Voters: 2,11,660

Booths: 239

Urban Voters: 10%

Rural Voters: 90%

Male: 49.48%

Female: 50.52%

Caste & Religious Demography

• Gen + OBC: 71.90%

• SC: 23.10%

• ST: 5.00%

• Hindu: 95%

• Muslim: 4%

• Others: 1.00%

Candidates:

Challa Dharma Reddy (BRS)

He was born on May 5, 1967, and completed his BA from Kakatiya University. He is married to Challa Jyothi and has two daughters. He started his political career with TDP in 2014. He contested on the TDP ticket and won the election. Later, he joined the ruling TRS in 2016. In 2018, in the Telangana Assembly elections, he won the Parkal seat with the highest majority of 1,05,903 votes from the TRS party.

Revuri Prakash Reddy (Congress)

Revuri Prakash Reddy was born in Keshavapur village of Duggondi mandal in erstwhile Warangal district to Revuri Narayan Reddy. Prakash Reddy a prominent face of the BJP and the three-time former Narsampet TDP MLA joined the Congress. The former TDP Leader joined the BJP in 2019. He quit the BJP and joined the Congress just before the 2023 elections.

Pagadala Kali Prasad Rao (BJP)

Dr Kali Prasad Rao Pagadala Parkal is an MBBS, MS Orthopaedics (Gold medalist) at Kakatiya Medical College and IMA president, of Telangana unit. Belonging to the BC community the BJP hopes that he would give a tough fight to the Congress and the TRS. The Doctor turned politician says that he would treat the problems in the constituency as he treats a sick patient.

Assembly constituency information

Geography: Parkal is a rural constituency. This constituency is infamously remembered for the Parkal massacre where around 22 people were mercilessly shot dead by Razakars in September 1947 for calling for the annexation of Hyderabad with India. The ‘Amaradhamam’ memorial built in memory of these martyrs is a prominent place of attraction in this constituency. This constituency has six mandals namely Parkal, Atmakur, Sangam, Geesugonda, Nadikuda, and Damera

Background: This constituency has a tradition of not electing the same candidate twice; this tradition was broken only once in the 1983 Assembly election. Again in the 2018 Assembly election by electing Challa Dharma Reddy for the second term.

In this constituency, the fight is between the Congress and the TRS (now BRS). The image of the candidate plays a very important role in the election. In the 2014 Assembly election, Dharma Reddy won on the TDP ticket, where TDP has no presence in the constituency. Padmashalis and Munnuru Kapus are the dominant communities in the constituency followed by the Reddy community. The present MLA is from the Reddy community.

MLA Profile

• Profession: Business

• During the TDP Government, Challa Dharma Reddy became a Class-1 contractor with the support of TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao.

• He won the 2018 Assembly election on the TRS symbol. He is a very strong leader in his constituency. He won the 2014 Assembly elections on his own, without much support from the TDP. When he joined the TRS he was able to take away all his followers with him.

• Financially Dharma Reddy is very strong

• His recent comments on Dalits (they don't know how to work, even at officer levels) drew flak from the people.

• He is known for his controversial statements.

• Recently he criticised the BJP for collecting donations for Ram Temple. BJP cadre attacked his house in Hanumakonda.

Historical

Amaradhamam Memorial

2014 Assembly analysis: Challa Dharma Reddy from TDP contested and won the constituency with 41 percent of votes.

His victory was more because of his personality. Other political parties also fielded candidates from the Reddy community which led to the split of Reddy votes.

The TDP-BJP alliance was able to attract the BC community votes because of the strong presence of BC leaders in TDP. Challa Dharma Reddy was the only candidate to face the TRS wave in the Warangal district.

Sahodar Reddy Muddasani (TRS) secured 35.5 percent of the votes and Engala Venkatram Reddy (Congress) secured 18.4 percent of the votes.

2018 Assembly analysis: Challa Dharma Reddy joined the TRS from the TDP in 2016, and he contested on the TRS ticket in the 2018 Assembly elections.

After joining the TRS he was able to work with the local TRS cadre and with Sahoder Reddy (2014 TRS candidate), thereby consolidating Reddy voters.

Senior leader Konda Surekha who was a very strong BC leader in Warangal contested on the Congress-TDP symbol. Dharma Reddy was able to defeat her by a 25 percent vote margin.

His victory was because of his booth-level machinery and TRS Government welfare schemes. Munnuru Kapu and Mudiraj communities supported the TRS.

Challa Dharma Reddy secured 59.6 percent of the votes, Congress candidate Konda Surekha secured 33.4 percent of the votes, while BJP candidate Pesaru Vijaya Chandra Reddy secured 1.4 percent of the votes.

Current Situation

• Apart from infightings, the Congress is pinning hopes to revive its position in the constituency on Konda Sureka. Her family has an influence over the Munnuru Kapu and Padmashali community due to her family background.

• Due to anti-incumbency and allegations, the TRS thought of changing its candidate to Pocahmpally Srinivas Reddy. Pochampally Srinivas Reddy is a close associate of KT Rama Rao.

• However, the TRS retained Dharma Reddy

• BJP has a community advantage in Mudiraj and Munnuru Kapu in this Assembly constituency due to the recent elevation of Etela Rajendra and Bandi Sanjay by the BJP.

Key Local Issues

• Demand for Atmakur Municipality

• Demand for Amaraveerula Jilla (Martyrs' District)

• Lower Manair Dam Parkal link for drinking water