Can Guvvala Balaraju overcome strong anti-incumbency sentiments to defeat Dr. Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna?

Assembly constituency: Achampet (SC)

District: Nagarkurnool

MLA: Guvvala Balaraju (Madiga/BRS)

Reservation: SC

Total Voters: 2,22,566

Booths: 265

Urban Voters: 12%

Rural Voters: 88%

Male: 50.30%

Female: 49.70%

Caste & Religious Demography

Gen + BC: 57.10%

SC: 21.90%

ST: 21.00%

Hindu: 94%

Muslim: 5.00%

Others : 1.00%

Candidates

Guvvala Balaraju (BRS)

MLA Profile

Personal background

Guvvala Balaraju, a member of the SC Madiga community, is a close associate of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and minister K T Rama Rao. He is also a founding member of the TRS (now BRS).

In 2009, he contested for the Mahakutami alliance in the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha, but was defeated by Mandha Jaganatham, an ex-MP from Nagarkurnool.

He actively participated in the Telangana movement between 2009 and 2014. In 2014, he contested on behalf of the TRS in Achampet and defeated the Congress candidate Chikkudu Vamsi Krishna and TDP candidate Pothuganti Ramulu.

Financial strengths: He is financially well settled.

Dr. Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna (Congress)

Dr. Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna was born on June 20, 1972 in Chinna Tandrapadu Village, Leeza mandal, Mahabubnagar district to Anand Rao and K T Lushamma. He finished his SSC in 1987 and his Intermediate from the Board of Secondary Education between 1987 and 1989.

From 1989 to 1992, he studied B.Sc at M.V.S Degree College in Mahabubnagar. He earned his B.Ed from the Government College of Education in Mahabubnagar in 1992-1993. In 1997, he also pursued an MS General at NTR Health University.

He is married to Anuradha, and the couple has two children.

On February 7, 2019, the AICC appointed Vamsi Krishna as the president of the Nagarkurnool District Congress Committee.

Devani Satish Madiga (BJP)

Devani Satish Madiga was born in Chukkaipally, Kollapur mandal, Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, on August 10, 1969. Satish began his education at Zilla Parishad High School in Kollapur in 1986 and graduated from Government Junior College in Kollapur in 1990. In 1994, he graduated from Government Degree College in Wanaparthy.

Satish founded Telangana Dalita Dandora in 1990-1993 and was appointed general secretary of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) in 1994.

Satish began his political career in 2009 with the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), then moved to the TDP before joining the BJP in May 2022. Satish, a BJP State Executive member, is contesting for the Telangana State Assembly seat of Achampet in the 2023 elections.

Constituency details

Background

Achampet constituency is known for temples such as Saleshwaram, Mallela Thirtham, Maddimadugu Anjaneya swamy and Urukunda Eranna Swamy Temple.

Achampet is also home to the Mannanur Tiger Reserve. Nallamala forest, a significant part of the constituency, has been a reserved area since 1952 and was a hotbed of the Naxal movement.

Geography

Achampet is divided into six mandals: Amrabad, Lingala, Vangoor, Balmoor, Padhara, and Charakonda.

2014 Assembly constituency analysis

Guvvala Balaraju was elected in Telangana in 2014 as a result of his active participation in KCR's public meetings and Telangana movement sentiment. He was also supported by Velama leaders in border mandals with the Kollapur region. Velamas played a crucial role in the 2014 elections.

They considered the TRS to be their party, and they were actively involved in the election process, spending their own money to bring Balaraju to power in 2014. Ramulu's anti-incumbency also aided the TRS's victory in 2014 elections.

2018 Assembly elections analysis

Many villages in the four mandals of Uppununthala, Lingala, Balmoor, and Vangoor received irrigation water.

The Kalwakurthy irrigation water was decided in the 2018 election results, and many former voters supported the TRS because of this water source.

Another reason to vote for the TRS was the Rythu Bandhu scheme.

Many BC and Reddy communities voted for the TRS in 2018 because of the Kalwakurthy lift irrigation water. The influence of Velama communities, money, and other factors played a significant role in the 2018 elections.

Current situation

Guvvala Balaraju, the BRS candidate, is facing strong anti-incumbency sentiments.

During his campaigns, he emphasised the BRS schemes in order to counterbalance the widespread dissatisfaction.

BRS MLA candidate Guvvala Balaraju was reportedly attacked by Congress candidate Vamsi Krishna and his followers in Telangana's Achampet constituency, Nagarkurnool district, two weeks ago.

As a three-time candidate, Congress candidate Dr. Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna garnered support from the constituency. Despite setbacks in previous elections, he benefits from a traditional vote bank in the constituency, which strengthens his position.

Dr. Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna of the Congress is expected to win with a large majority, according to Elector insight.

Key local issues

• Uranium mining in Nallamala forest.