Vivekanand eyes third term in Quthbullapur, opponents harp on civic issues

Assembly Constituency: Quthbullapur

District: Medchal- Malkajgiri

MLA: KP Vivekananda (Goud)

Reservation: GEN

Total Voters: 6,39,548

Booths: 582

Urban Voters: 100%

Rural Voters: 0%

Male: 56.40%

Female: 43.50 %

Caste & Religious Demography

Gen + OBC: 90%

SC: 7%

ST: 1%

Hindu:82 %

Muslim: 10%

Others : 8%

Candidates

KP Vivekananda(BRS)

K Pandu Vivekanand Goud previously belonged to the TDP but is now part of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). He is the sitting MLA from the Quthbullapur constituency of the Medchal-Malkajgiri. He defeated K Hanmanth Reddy of the BRS by 39,024 votes in the 2014 State assembly elections. In the 2018 general elections, he secured a majority victory with over 40,000 votes over Congress candidate Kuna Srisailam Goud.

Kolan Hanumantha Reddy (Congress)

Kolan Hanumantha Reddy, a Congress MLA candidate, began his political career in 1994, transitioning from student leader to prominent public service position. From 1994 to 1996, he served as the president of the Quthbullapur mandal. As the mandal party president, he effectively connected with Quthbullapur residents, comprehending their needs and advocating for solutions to their daily issues. He was an advocate since 1992 and practiced until 1994 before transitioning to politics. Kolan Hanmanth Reddy, the Congress candidate in Quthbullapur, is confident in his chances of winning the Telangana State Assembly Elections 2023 with a majority.

Kuna Srisailam Goud(BJP)

Kuna Srisailam Goud, born on June 17, 1966, is from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who joined the party in 2021. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Quthbullapur Constituency as an Independent candidate and joined INC in 2009. From 2009 to 2021, he served as the leader of the Telangana Congress and later joined the BJP.

He is currently contesting for the Telangana State Assembly Elections 2023 as an MLA candidate for the BJP from Quthbullapur.

Geography

The INC won one of the last six major elections, Independent candidate won one, the TDP won two, and the BRS won twice in Quthbullapur Constituency. The seat, previously under Medchal constituency, is an urban-rural area with eight GHMC divisions, with the BRS winning seven and the BJP winning only from one division.

Background

Quthbullapur is home to a significant number of Andhra-Rayalaseema and North Indian settlers. The Assembly constituency has more slums than colonies, with major patches found in Jagathgiri Gutta, Gajula Ramaram, Shubash Nagar, and Bachupally municipality. The majority of industries in the Assembly are located in Suraram, Jeedimetla, and Chintal divisions, while a few are in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The constituency is one of the most polluted, causing significant concern among locals.

MLA Profile

Personal details

KP Vivekananda was born and raised in Quthbullapur and studied at HMT High School. Born to K.M. Pandu and K. Shyamala, his father served as Sarpanch twice and was the first chairman of Quthbullapur Municipality.

He witnessed Quthbullapur's transformation from a gram panchayat to a municipality to a growing corporation.

Political Background

Vivekananda, a 2009 MLA candidate of the TRS, has been politically connected since his early days because of his father's political connections. After completing his BE, he joined Shakthi Yuva Seva Samithi and began active politics in 2000.

In 2014, he served as a TDP MLA, but resigned in 2016. He later won the Telangana Assembly Elections in 2018 from the BRS. KP Vivekananda, a young, dynamic, smart, and educated leader, is currently closely working with BRS working president K T Rama Rao.

He was one of five Telangana State representatives to the United States Young Leaders Political Programme, which was held in the United States.

2014 Election Analysis

The TDP won this constituency in the 2014 Assembly elections with the support of BCs such as Gouds, Mudhiraj, and Munnur Kapu, as well as settlers from Andhra Pradesh. Vivekanand Goud, as the son of former Chairman Pandu Goud, received additional support from the slums.

The BJP, primarily from North Indian settlers, held a core vote bank of 5,000 votes, giving the TDP an additional advantage.

The BRS faced fierce competition, and the AIMIM's presence in the election split Muslim votes between the two parties.

The INC, despite maintaining its traditional voter base, faced challenges due to anti-incumbency and polarization among settlers, affecting its performance in the third position.

2018 Election Analysis

In 2016, Vivekananda transitioned from TDP to TRS, bringing his TDP cadre and influential positions to the constituency.

Quthbullapur's polluted constituency saw significant developments like Haritha Haram, Dulapally forest park conversion, 40 parks, and Urban Bhageeratha program for drinking water supply to households.

The promise to regularise slum areas and relocate industries to the outskirts of the constituency received positive feedback and appreciation from the local population.

The Congress claims that significant infrastructure projects and developments were initiated during its tenure.

During the Congress term, INC candidate Srisailam Goud, an BC leader, gained 40 percent of the vote due to his active leadership and construction of over 18,000 houses under the Indiramma Illu scheme.

A significant number of the AIMIM votes were shifted to the BRS due to a mutual understanding between the two parties.

Vivekananda won with a 53 percent vote share, primarily from loyal TDP cadre (now with BRS), Muslim votes, support from his father's followers, votes from slum areas (benefiting from TRS schemes), and votes from settlers primarily from AP, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

Current Situation

BRS: Coordination and collaboration within the party between the MLC and MLA help to reinforce the party's structure by assigning positions within the party and other official appointments. The BRS is focusing on enhancing its cadre at the assembly constituency level.

BJP: Kolan Hanumanth Reddy recently transitioned from the BJP to the INC, with a few other party members following suit.

Kuna Srisailam, a former MLA and BJP member, is facing criticism both within and outside the party.

INC: Revanth Reddy's influence is fostering the growth of the Congress party's cadre in the local area.

Key Local Issues

• Jeedimetla ward faces severe pollution from over 150 drug and medicine plants, causing health issues for residents in the surrounding 20-30 colonies.
• Suraram colony residents, including 5,000 families, have been living without legal ownership for two decades, often removed by GHMC due to lack of property documents, Manjeera water, and proper drainage facilities.
• Flooding in the Quthbullapur colonies and sewage overflow in Meenakshi Estate Colony causes problems for residents, while streetlights are lacking in Jeedimetla Pipeline Road, Meenakshi Estate Colony, and Sai Baba Nagar.
  
• Potholes are a common problem in areas such as Shapur, Subhash Nagar, Jeedimetla Village, and Apuroopa Colony. Water scarcity issues persist in Nizampet's colonies, with dried borewells and insufficient municipal water supply.
• The area lacks an MLA or government representative to address the issue of illegal water connections, which continue to be a profitable business for some.