Egos clash in Cuddapah

The dramatic defection of a veteran Congress leader MV Mysoora Reddy to the ruling TDP camp on the poll-eve has altered political dynamics in Cuddapah Lok Sabha constituency.

The dramatic defection of a veteran Congress leader MV Mysoora Reddy to the ruling TDP camp on the poll-eve has altered political dynamics in Cuddapah Lok Sabha constituency in the faction-ridden Rayalaseema region which is notorious for its bomb culture, hired assassins and faction leaders holding sway over their respective pocket-borroughs.

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After a 25-year long stint in Congress, Mysoora Reddy, a former Minister, made a political somersault by joining TDP which promptly fielded him from the constituency, a traditional bastion of his bete noire and Rayalaseema strongman YS Rajasekhar Reddy who is widely seen as Chief Ministerial candidate of Congress.

The long-standing rivalry with Rajasekhar Reddy had reached a flashpoint in the run-up to the polls, prompting Mysoora Reddy to switch over to TDP.

He is now pitted against Rajasekhar's younger brother YS Vivekananda Reddy seeking re-election from the constituency which has been electing members of 'YS family' for the last five terms.

The contest has now turned into a clash of personalities with the pressing public issues like pending irrigation projects, drinking water scarcity, plight of farmers and continuous drought taking a backseat.

In the 1999 polls, Cuddapah district witnessed total domination by TDP which had bagged 8 out of 11 assembly seats while Congress managed to win only three. The Congress and TDP had retained Cuddapah and Rajampet Lok Sabha seats respectively.