KhammamMostly sent Imported Leaders to LS
VanamJwala Narasimha Rao
TheHans India (28-04-2024)
{Three Political and Financial Giants,Nama Nageswara Rao (BRS), Tandra Vinod Rao (BJP), and Ramasahayam RaghuramReddy (Congress Party) are in the battle in in 2024 elections. In suchpolitically conscious, highly volatile, and sensitive district, where ‘Fortunesturns Like a Wheel’ Victory of any candidate is unpredictable ‘Until the LastEVM is Counted.’} – Editor Hans India
Khammam Lok Sabha constituency is accustomedto the ‘Dubious Distinction’ of ‘Electing Imported Candidates’ by and large chosenby Congress Party with convenient moderation. In this elections, Congress, aday before last date for filing nominations, announced name of RamasahayamRaghuram Reddy to contest, but not before Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka denied theoffer. Raghuram Reddy’s illustrious, eminent, politically well-known, 92-year-oldfather Surender Reddy, is a four-time former MP, two-time former MLA andlongest serving Hyderabad Race Club Chairman.
Their Family hails from Maripeda inMahaboobabad district, adjoining Khammam Lok Sabha periphery, and hence, strictlyspeaking Raghuram Reddy is not a Non-Local. Further, through marriage in thefamily, he became relative to powerful Congress Leader, Minister PonguletiSrinivas Reddy, that fortifies his political bondage with Khammam Lok Sabha.BRS candidate Nama Nageswara Rao too, is not a Non-Local. BJP candidate TandraVinod Rao is faultless Local. This is a slight deviation from regular practice.
Politically Eminent persons like, JamalapuramKeshav Rao, Madapati Ramachandra Rao, Jalagam Vengal Rao, ‘Kingmaker’ BommakantiSatyanarayana Rao, Seelam Siddareddy, Chekuri Kasiah, Ananth Ramulu Mallu etc.were from Khammam District. Many from Congress, TDP, and TRS became Ministersin State and Central Cabinets. Present Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu isfrom Khammam District.
Choosing candidates to Khammam LokSabha has been a herculean task from the beginning. Notwithstanding this, since1952, Congress demonstrated its stronghold on Khammam Lok Sabha Seat by winning12 times. PDF (CPI), TDP, CPI(M), YSRCP candidates also won.
Twice in 1952, 1957 TB Vithal Rao ofPDF (CPI); thrice in 1962, 1967, 1971 T Laksmi Kantamma, twice in 1977, 1980Jalagam Konadal Rao, twice in 1984, 1989 Jalagam Vengal Rao, in 1991 PV RangiahNaidu (All from Congress); in 1996 Tammineni Veerabhadram of CPI(M); in 1998Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, Twice in 1999, 2004 Renuka Choudary (Both Congress); twiceNama Nageswara Rao of TDP (2009) and TRS (2019) and in 2014 Ponguleti SrinivasReddy of YSRCP won. Three Congress MPs (Jalagam, Rangiah Naidu, Renuka) servedas Union Ministers and Nama Nageshwar Rao served as Floor Leader of TRS.
Barring once or twice, right from PDF(CPI) candidate TB Vithal Rao’s election, it has always been a ‘Non-Local’ who wonfrom this Constituency mysteriously!!! Laksmi Kantamma, Rangiah Naidu,Nadendla, Renuka Choudary all representing Congress were Nonlocals. When CPI(M)leader Tammineni Veerabhadram a True Local won, he became the first communistto have won, after a gap of 40 years since 1957 when undivided CommunistCandidate TB Vithal Rao won. However, Tammineni’s term was short due to midtermelections when Nadendla defeated him then.
Prior to Rangiah Naidu, Congress CandidatesLaksmi Kantamma and Jalagam Brothers won the seat with comfortable majorities. Manytimes, both Communist Parties contested against each other, benefiting CongressCandidates to win. After Communist Party split in 1964, for the first time CPIand CPI(M) candidates (N Giri Prasad and M Ramkishen Rao) contested againsteach other in 1967 enabling a cakewalk to Lakshmi Kantamma of Congress. In 1971CPI supported Congress (Laksmi Kantamma) defeated CPI(M) candidate RamkishenRao who polled substantial number of votes.
In the 1977 elections, N Giri Prasad(CPI) and Dr Y Radha Krishna Murthy (CPIM) contested in the absence of seatadjustment between communists, only in Khammam Constituency. In 1980 too CPIand CPIM were in different boats, straightaway helping Congress victory. NTRTDP candidate being in the field helped Tammineni (CPIM) victory in 1996.
Nadendla victory was possible in 1998defeating CPIM Tammineni by a slender majority of 11,000, due to BJP candidate’spresence. In 1999 Nadendla was denied ticket by Congress in favor of RenukaChoudhary who won with slight margin against TDP candidate. In fact, then thecombined votes of TDP and CPIM candidates, were lot more than Renuka Choudhary.
In 2004 Renuka Choudary of Congress wonwith comfortable majority against TDP candidate Nama. In 2009 elections becauseof Praja Rajyam Party candidate in the contest, Nama of TDP won against RenukaChoudhary of Congress. In 2014 elections, YSRCP candidate Ponguleti SrinivasaReddy won, though polled only 35% of votes. TDP, CPI, TRS Candidates in thecontest, together polled abnormally more votes than him. In 2019 TRS Nama won comfortably,defeating Renuka Choudary of Congress.
Results of Assembly Constituencies inthe district have also been with a difference. ‘Politically Highly ConsciousKhammam District’ distinctly survived TPS, Janatha Party, Indira, NTR, and TRSwaves in elections. Khammam voters verdict strikingly differs from otherdistricts. In 1978 Assembly Elections when Congress(I) swept all over thestate, in five out of nine segments it lost. In 1983 when NTR TDP receivedmassive mandate, except one seat, rest were won by other parties. In both 2014and 2018 elections TRS fared very badly in this district, including loosing KhammamLok Sabha Seat in 2014 to YSRCP.
From Khammam Assembly Constituency, inthe first election PDF candidate Namavarapu Peddanna won. In subsequentelections, Giriprasad, Rajab Ali both from CPI; Ananth Reddy from Congress;Manchikanti Ramkishen Rao from CPIM; Puvvada Nageshwar Rao from CPI; YounusSultan from Congress; Tammineni Veerabhadram from CPIM, Tummala Nageshwar Raoonce from TDP, once from Congress and Puvvada Ajay Kumar once from Congress,once from TRS won the seat. ‘Permutations and Combinations,’ preceded beforeannouncing candidates for Assembly Seat too.
In the Long Enduring Political Historyof Communist Movement, Khammam District is known as ‘Bastion of Communists’ andstands as ‘Giant Communist Edifice.’ During the renowned Telangana PeasantArmed Struggle’ Stalwart Communist Leaders from this District were in theForefront. Chirravuri Laxmi Narasaiah (Longtime Khammam Municipal Chairman),Manchikanti Ramkishen Rao, Sarvadeva Bhatla Ramanadham, Ravella Satyanarayana,KL Narasimha Rao, Bode Pudi Venkateshwara Rao, Bojedla Venkata Narayana, MacchaVeeraiah, Gangavarapu Srinivasa Rao, Tammineni Subbaiah, Parsa Satyanarayana, PayyavulaLakshmiah, Ravella Janaki Ramaiah, Vattikonda Nageshwar Rao, VasireddyVenkatapathi, etc. were among them.
Post Independence, number of comradeslike, Puvvada Nageshwar Rao, TVR Chandram, Rajab Ali, Gandluri Kishan Rao, BajiHanumanth, Vanam Narsing Rao (The First Elected Chairman of Palair CooperativeSugars), Rayala Venkateshwarlu, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao (who is CPI TelanganaState Secretary), Tammineni Veerabhadram (who is CPIM Telangana State Secretary)etc. contributed in strengthening Communist Movement to keep it alive, to theextent possible. Genesis of Civil Liberties Movement’ in the state and country wasin Khammam District, with the initiative of CPIM Leaders Doctor YalamanchiliRadhakrishna Murthy, a former Rajya Sabha Member, Advocates Bode PudiRadhakrishna and Subba Rao (Trio of Intellectuals) during largescale arrestsfollowing 1962 India-China War.
Unfortunately, the same CommunistParty, both divided and undivided, which was ‘Built Brick by Brick’ in thebackground and context of ‘Mass Peasant Movements’ and once reached HimalayanPeak, was gradually weakened by internal strife, and bickering. Very Existence ofit, is now a Million Dolor Question. Years ago, an interesting Book ‘NippukuChedalu’ (Worms to Fire) was brought out by Former Comrades that narratedcontroversial allegations on the then existing CPIM Khammam Leadership, thatfurther weakened party.
Three Political and Financial Giants, NamaNageswara Rao (BRS), Tandra Vinod Rao (BJP), and Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy(Congress Party) are in the battle in in 2024 elections. In such politicallyconscious, highly volatile, and sensitive district, where ‘Fortunes turns Likea Wheel’ Victory of any candidate is unpredictable ‘Until the Last EVM isCounted.’
Chairman Centre for Media Studies(CMS) Dr N Bhaskara Rao recently told PTI News Agency, that, the 2024 Lok Sabhaelections will become the ‘Most Expensive Electoral Event in the World’touching a staggering Rs 1.35 Lakh Crore. One inevitability that has emerged overa period is, everywhere, including Khammam Lok Sabha Constituency, it is only aMillionaire or Billionaire not to speak of Trillionaire orDeca-Billionaire will be able to afford to contest in future’ ‘IsThis The Democracy to Cherish’!!!
