Mahbubnagar: TRS’ Mahbubnagar Parliamentary candidate A.P. Jithender Reddy has immense faith in Lord Hanuman, whose shrine is in the remote village of Pamapuram in Kothakota mandal of Mahbubnagar district.
He won the 1999 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket after offering prayers and launching his campaign from this little known village. Mr Reddy, who is locked in a triangular all-Reddy contest, made it a point to offer prayers again this morning from this village and is confident of a thumping victory with Hanuman’s and the Telangana voters’ blessings.
“KCR (TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao) should be CM. Only then the new state of Telangana will prosper and make rapid strides. I will visit this temple again after winning,” he asserts as the motley crowd of youth, women, and the old and infirm clap loudly.
The 59-year-old NRI-turned-politician, a commerce graduate and prominent businessman, takes on Congress stalwart and Union minister, S. Jaipal Reddy and BJP heavyweight, Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy.
As Mr Reddy arrives in his luxury car, the crowds swell near the Hanuman temple. He is accompanied by Mr Ala Venkateswara Reddy, the TRS’ Deverkadra Assembly nominee.
He reminds the crowd waiting in the hot sun of the 14-year struggle of Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who launched the party, undertook a series of agitations and finally achieved Telangana.
He explains the salient features of the party’s election manifesto, enumerates the problems confronting the region such as irrigation and power and tells the crowd why this election is crucial and why they should vote for the TRS.
“TRS has to win these elections with a thumping majority to fulfil your dreams. Think twice before you cast your vote. You have to vote for the TRS like the way you participated in the Telangana movement. If the Congress was sincere, it would have given Telangana in 2004. But it did not and tried to wean away TRS MLAs.
He asks the crowd, “Did Jaipal and Nagam visit your village?”
“NO!” yells the crowd.
“Mr Jaipal may be a good Parliamentarian, but he is bad Palamurian (Palamur, nick name of Mahbubnagar),” he says while addressing roadside meetings in his Parliamentary constituency.
TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu played dirty with Telangana people and tried to stall till the last, but the TRS forced the Centre to grant statehood for Telangana. Congress and Telugu Desam have no moral right to seek votes in the name of Telangana," said Mr Reddy.
He demanded to know what his rival Mr Jaipal Reddy has done for this region though he was Union Minister and held a key portfolio. He also lambasts Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy for doing nothing despite being minister for Panchayat Raj, Health and Excise.
He asks the crowd, "Did Jaipal Reddy and Nagam Janardhan Reddy visit your village?"
"NO!" yells the crowd.
"Mr Jaipal Reddy may be a good parliamentarian, but he is a bad Palamurian (Palamur, nick name of Mahbubnagar).
"Mr Jaipal Reddy's aim is Delhi and he makes it a point to shift constituencies to be able to go to Delhi since he will be thrown out if he contests again from the same place, as he does nothing for the public at large. He is already thinking about his next constituency," Mr Reddy jeered.
He rubbishes the claims of other parties in the founding of Telangana State. "Congress says it gave Telangana, TRS says it fought for it and BJP says it extended cooperation in the passage of the bill. But remember, Telangana was possible only through TRS. It fought till the last and it alone can implement the promises."
Continuing his attack on Mr Jaipal Reddy, he reminds his listeners of the Union minister's statement where he claimed he was a "nationalist" and refused to comment in support of Telangana at a meeting in Mahabubnagar. "At 75 why should he lie? In Chevella he said he fought for Telangana."
Mr Jithender Reddy fought Mr Jaipal Reddy in the 2009 elections on a Telugu Desam ticket from the Chevella Lok Sabha constituency and lost by a slender margin of about 9000 votes. While Mr Jaipal Reddy polled 4,20,807 votes, he got 4,02,275 votes, the shortfall due to settlers voting against the TD tie-up with the TRS in Serilingampally. He joined the TRS in 2010 and is now the party politburo member. This is the fifth election Mr Reddy is contesting. He has won only once, in 1999.
Mr Jithender Reddy fought on a NTR TDP ticket from Mahabubnagar in 1996, on a BJP ticket against Mr Jaipal Reddy and Mr Mallik Zarjun in 1998. Contesting on a BJP ticket again, he defeated Mr Mallikarjun in Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituency in 1999. He did not contest in 2004, and in 2006 he re-joined the TD. He was shifted to Chevella since KCR opted for Mahabubnagar in the mahakutami alliance in 2009.
