In Palakurthi, Congress fields fresher against veteran BRS leader Errabelli

Assembly Constituency- Palakurthi

District: Jangaon

MLA: Errabelli Dayakar Rao (BRS)

Reservation: GEN

Total Voters: 2,37,750

Booths: 294

Urban Voters: 7%

Rural Voters: 93%

Male: 50.40%

Female: 49.60%

Caste & Religious Demography

• Gen + OBC: 59.90%
• SC: 19.80%
• ST: 29.40%
• Hindu: 97.00%
• Muslim: 2.60%
• Others : 0.40%

Candidates

Errabelli Dayakar Rao (BRS)

Dayakar Rao was born on July 4, 1956 and studied Intermediate. He married Usharani and has two children. He began his political career with the TDP and is a six-time MLA and one-time MP from Warangal parliament constituency in the 2008 by-elections. Dayakar Rao is considered to be one of the tallest leaders in the erstwhile Warangal district.

In the 1994 Assembly elections, he contested from Wardhannapet on behalf of the TDP and won as an MLA. Continuing his spirit, Dayakar Rao also won as an MLA for two consecutive Assembly elections in 1998 and 2004. In the 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections, he contested on behalf of the TDP and won Palakurthy seat.

In 2017, he joined the ruling TRS and was able to retain his MLA seat in the 2018 Assembly elections. He serving as Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development in KCR’s Cabinet. In the 2023 Assembly elections, he is going to face a novice Yashashwini Reddy from the INC and Lega Rammohan Reddy from the BJP.

Mamidila Yashaswini (INC)

Yashaswini was born in 1997 in Hyderabad and she pursued her B.Tech in Electronics and Communication. After her marriage, she left for California in the United States of America. The INC initially considered Hanumandla Jhansi Reddy, an NRI from the constituency as the candidate for the constituency. However, she was denied a ticket by the INC leadership due to potential citizenship issues. Subsequently, the INC decided to field Jhansi Reddy’s daughter-in-law Mamidala Yashashwini, who is also an NRI. She is the youngest candidate from the INC who is pitted against six-time MLA Dayakar Rao.

Lega Rammohan Reddy (BJP)

Rammohan Reddy began his political career with the TDP after being inspired by TDP founder president Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR). He continued in the TDP till the death of NTR. He joined the BJP and is contesting on behalf of the party in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Assembly constituency information

Geography: Palakruthi is a rural constituency and part of Warangal parliament constituency. The constituency is spread across three districts, Warangal rural, Jangaon and Mahabubabad. It is the birthplace of Doddi Komaraiah and Chakali Ilamma (Telangana freedom fighters, fought against Nizam rule and feudal landlords). Palakurthi, Devaruppula, Kodakandla, Raiparthy, and Thorrur Mandals are mandals of Palakruthi. Thorrur municipality is a business hub.

Background: This constituency was formed in 2009 due to delimitation, and before that it was part of the Chennur segment. Since its inception in 2009, Errabelli Dayarkar Rao won in this constituency. Earlier, the TDP was very strong in this constituency because of the large presence of the BC community. The TDP lost its hold when Dayakar Rao joined the TRS and was able to take away the TDP cadre with him. Gowda, BC, and Velama communities are playing an important role in this constituency.

Cultural/Historical/Religious Identifiers

Shri Someshwara Swamy Temple

2014 Assembly elections Analysis:

• Errabelli Dayakar Rao contested on behalf of the TDP and was able to win the 2014 Assembly elections. He was able to fend off anti-incumbency against him mainly due to the split of votes between the TDP, the INC, and the TRS.
• Dayakar Rao was able to gain support from Gowdas who are the dominant community in the constituency. He became ill a few days before the elections and campaigned from an ambulance, which created a sympathy wave that helped in the elections.
• In 2016, Dayakar Rao joined the ruling TRS Government and was able to take away the TDP cadre with him to the TRS . He also strengthened his position in the TRS because of his relations with KCR.

2018 Assembly elections Analysis:

• In the 2018 Assembly elections, TRS candidate Dayakar Rao was able to win the constituency by 59.3 percent of votes. The TRS was able to consolidate its vote base in BC communities by bringing in community-centric welfare schemes such as Sheep distribution to Yadava/Golla/Kuruma communities.
• The Rythu Bandhu scheme had also helped the TRS to consolidate votes in Velama and Reddy communities.
• The alliance between the TDP and the BJP did not achieve the desired result. The TRS projected the TDP as an Andhra party. Lack of strong candidates in opposition also helped the TRS.
• Dayakar Rao (TRS) secured 59.3 percent of votes, Janga Raghav Reddy(INC) secured 32.4 percent of votes, and the BJP was able to get less than one percent of votes.

Current Situation

• The BRS is very strong in the constituency. The sitting MLA actively developed party cadres in all villages. However, there is anti-incumbency against the MLA due to nonfulfillment of election promises.
• After the 2018 Assembly elections defeat, the INC did not recover and lack of leadership is a big issue for the party.
• The BJP has no visible presence in the constituency.