Pulivendula in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district was long seen as an impregnable fortress of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s family; a symbol of unquestioned political dominance since the 1970s.
Not anymore. This fortress has been breached for the first time by the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party when its candidate won a recent by-election to the Pulivendula Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC).
The defeat of the YSR Congress Party candidate in its backyard marks a tectonic shift in the political landscape of the restive Rayalaseema region. The loss comes as a major setback to Jagan who represents Pulivendula in the assembly, a constituency held earlier by his father late YS Rajasekhar Reddy till his death in a helicopter crash in September 2009.
The TDP’s Latha Reddy pulled off a surprise, trouncing her nearest rival Hemant Reddy of the YSRCP by a margin of over 6,000 votes. The by-poll here was necessitated following the death of sitting ZPTC member Maheshwar Reddy, whose son Hemant was the YSRCP candidate.
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While the TDP was quick to hail the result as ‘victory of democracy’, the opposition YSRCP accused the ruling party of resorting to rigging, intimidation and misuse of official machinery.
The significance of this result was not lost on the political observers. The TDP dealt a major blow to the YSRCP in its bastion after its strong performance in the region in last year’s Assembly polls, where it managed to win seven seats while restricting Jagan’s party to just three seats.
“The by-election has proved that if elections are held in a democratic manner, the people would vote for the TDP,” Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy said.
BC Welfare Minister Sanjeevareddygari Savitha said that the TDP’s next target will be the Pulivendula Assembly seat itself. “We will win that seat also,” she said.
The YSRCP has historically swept elections here — panchayat to Assembly — with commanding margins, making the TDP’s victory a symbolic and strategic breakthrough.
The campaign was a high-stakes battle, with the YSRCP banking on emotional and dynastic appeals, while the TDP, backed by its NDA allies, mobilised ministers, MPs, and state leaders, focusing on alleged YSRCP misgovernance and promising development.
Morale booster
For the TDP, which regained power in the 2024 assembly polls, the Pulivendula win was a morale-booster. It also signalled its growing influence in the Rayalaseema region.
Kadapa district, particularly Pulivendula, has long been a YSRCP citadel. The TDP had tried to penetrate its voter base all these years, but in vain. This stunning victory provides Naidu with a powerful narrative and is expected to embolden his party to intensify its efforts in Rayalaseema in future elections.
For the YSRCP, the loss is a profound political setback. It raises questions about Jagan’s ability to retain his core constituency’s loyalty.
As Andhra Pradesh’s political equations shift, the Pulivendula upset marks a pivotal moment. It proves that no stronghold is impregnable in the face of ever-changing voters’ predilections.
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