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Narasaraopet is one of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. The Narasaraopet Parliamentary constituency is made up of 7 assembly constituency segments: Pedakurapadu, Chilakaluripet, Narasaraopet, Sattenpalli, Vinukonda, Gurazala, Macherla. They all belong in the Guntur district. Voting for the Lok Sabha poll in Narasaraopet will take place on May 13 in the fourth phase while the counting of votes will take place on June 4.
2019 Result and 2024 Candidates
Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu is the sitting MP from Narasaraopet. He had won the 2019 Lok Sabha election on a YSRCP ticket by a margin of 1,53,978 votes. He quit the YSRCP recently and has joined the TDP.
Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu is the TDP candidate this election, contesting against Garnepudi Alexandar Sudhakar of the Congress and Dr Poluboina Anil Kumar Yadav of YSRCP.
Who Stands Where
BJP-TDP-JSP Alliance
Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, a former YSRCP leader and incumbent MP, has joined TDP and is contesting the Lok Sabha election on a TDP ticket. This has been a shot in the arm for the TDP cadre.
Devarayalu is a popular figure in the constituency and has a strong reputation for helping people and is non-controversial. Chief Minister Jagan Reddy was keen to field a backward class candidate in the district, and had dropped Devarayalu.
With his arrival the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance has bolstered their chances of winning the elections in the constituency.
TDP has a strong vote bank among the Yadav, Kapu, and Mala caste groups. Devarayalu is expected to add his vote bank to this mix, and lacking an opponent of his stature, it could be a cakewalk for him.
The alliance is expected to capitalise on the anti-incumbency against the YSRCP government and highlighting the development agenda of both PM Modi and Chandrababu Naidu, particularly each leader’s track record in infrastructure and economic development.
YSRCP
The YSRCP has zeroed in on Anil Kumar Poluboina aka Anil Kumar Yadav as its candidate. Their hope is that he will cut into the Yadav community which has traditionally been a vote base for the TDP. However, ground reports suggest that Anil Kumar Yadav may not be a strong rival to Devarayalu.
Anil Kumar Yadav is the incumbent MLA from Nellore City assembly constituency, which is 200 kilometers away. The candidate is not well-liked by the voters and is considered a non-local. This is likely to hurt the YSRCP’s chances in the election.
Despite an intensified campaign with the coordination of all YSRCP MLAs and party leaders in Palnadu, according to on ground reports, the YSRCP candidate has failed to excite the voters and has led a faltering election campaign.
Yadav’s candidacy may have also upset state health minister Vidadala Rajani who was also angling for a Lok Sabha ticket from Narasaraopet.
YSRCP has a has a loyal voter base among the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Backward Classes (BCs), and minorities, who constitute a significant portion of the electorate in the constituency.
Indian Congress
Congress has a very low presence in the constituency. It did not field a candidate in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Although the entry of YS Sharmila, sister of Jagan Reddy, has enthused cadre, the party has a problem finding strong candidates. Her effect may at best be seen
marginally in the Assembly elections which are happening concurrently.
Other Parties
Other parties and independent candidates are unlikely to pose a major challenge to the YSRCP or TDP- BJP alliance. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have also expressed interest in contesting the seat, but these parties have a negligible presence in the constituency and are unlikely to make a significant impact.
Key Constituency Issues
Farm Distress
Agriculture is the primary source of employment for people in the Narasaraopet constituency. Paddy is the main crop grown in the region, and farmers are facing challenges such as low crop prices, high input costs, and lack of irrigation facilities. Moreover, Andhra Pradesh ranks third in farmer suicides in the country.
Welfare Schemes
The YSRCP government’s welfare schemes have benefited the poor and marginalized sections of society in Narasaraopet constituency. These schemes include the Amma Vodi scheme which provides Rs. 12,000 per annum per child to mothers, the Rythu Bharosa scheme for farmers, and the YSR Pension Kanuka scheme for senior citizens. The TDP-BJP alliance has been criticising these schemes as unsustainable. BJP claims money given to the State government by the Centre under PM Kisan insurance scheme was being labelled by Jagan Reddy as ‘Ryhtu Bharosa’. However, voters in the constituency have been largely happy with the state schemes.
Financial Crisis
Andhra Pradesh government is facing a financial crisis, the welfare schemes by the YSRCP have put the state under a lot of debt. As a result, the state government has taken huge loans from the central government and from other financial institutions. This has led to a financial crisis which has devoid the state, and particularly the constituency of development.
Development Issues
According to on-ground reports there have been few new development projects in the Narasaraopet constituency in recent years. The roads are dilapidated and have been left to rot.
Corruption
According to ground reports, there has been a lack of transparency and accountability in the implementation of welfare schemes by officials. The YSRCP government has also faced flak over corruption in land deals in Narasaraopet constituency. Government officials have colluded with private developers to facilitate land acquisitions at below-market prices, and the government has allegedly turned a blind eye to illegal land grabbing and encroachment.
Political Violence
Political violence erupted in Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, on March 13 this year, when supporters of the TDP and the YSRCP clashed during a visit by TDP MLA candidate Chadalavada Aravinda Babu. This is not the first time that YSRCP has engaged in political violence against the opponents. In 2023, after the attack on the office complex of the Eenadu newspaper by alleged YSRCP workers, TDP chief Naidu had said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is instigating his followers. In June last year, Section 144 was imposed in Narasaraopet when violent clashes broke out between party workers of the YSRCP & TDP.
Infrastructure Development
Narasaraopet Smart City Project
Chandrababu Naidu had laid plans for this ambitious project which is being built with a total investment of Rs. 1000 crore. The project was to include the development of smart roads, smart street lighting, a smart water management system. Although the project was expected for completion in 2021, that deadline has been missed.
Varikaselipuda Lift Irrigation Project
With elections round the corner, in November last year, Jagan Reddy had launched the Varikapudisela lift irrigation scheme in Macherla. The project is expected to provide drinking water to over 1 lakh people and irrigate more than 1.25 lakh acres of land in Palnadu. The project had been neglected for years. However, it must be remembered that thrice before two CMs—late YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu— had laid the foundation stones for the project (in 1996, 2008 and 2017). Nothing had come of it.
Highway 167
The Centre has sanctioned the construction of a new national highway, NH 167, which will connect Narasaraopet to Srisailam. This is expected to hugely benefit locals and will be a plus point for the TDP-BJP alliance.
Railway Line Upgradation
The central government has also sanctioned upgradation of the railway line between Narasaraopet and Vijayawada. The project in Narasaraopet is still in the planning stage and is expected to be completed in phases. Doubling of Guntur-Tenali-Narasaraopet line is, however, expected to be completed soon along with its electrification.
Upgradation of Roads
The state government claims to have upgraded several roads in the Narasaraopet constituency, including the Narasaraopet-Vijayawada highway and the Narasaraopet-Guntur highway. However, the general disrepair of many roads in the area will be a hot election topic.
Voter Demographics
As per the 2019 election data, Narasaraopet has a total of 16,69,308 voters, of which 12,95,383 (77.6%) are rural voters while 3,73,925 (22.4%) are urban voters.
The number of SC Voters in the constituency is 3,07,153 (18.4%) and there are 1,15,182 (6.9%) ST voters.
Hindu voters account for 86.6% of the total voters, Christians 1.84% and Muslims 11.46%.
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