Whichever party wins Station Ghanpur, forms Government; BRS banks on Kadiyam Srihari

Assembly Constituency: Ghanpur Station

Parliament: Warangal

District: Jangaon

MLA: Dr. Thatikonda Rajaiah (Madiga)

MP: Pasunuri Dayakar

Reservation: SC

Total Voters: 2,36,994

Booths: 290

Urban Voters: 7%

Rural Voters: 93%

Male: 50.07 %

Female: 49.9 %

Caste & Religious Demography

Gen + OBC: 68%

SC:23 %

ST: 7 %

Hindu: 96 %

Muslim: 2 %

Others : 2 %

Contenders

Kadiyam Srihari(BRS)

Kadiyam Srihari, born on July 8, 1952, is an Indian politician who served as Telangana's Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education from 2014 to December 2018. Since November 22, 2021, he has served as an MLC in the Telangana Legislative council.

From 2014 to 2015, he served as a Member of Parliament from the Warangal constituency in the State of Telangana. He served as a Minister in the cabinets of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao and Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and represented the Ghanpur (Station) constituency as an MLA.

He served as the politburo member of the Telugu Desam Party and as the General Secretary of the party. Kadiyam served as the Minister of Marketing, Social Welfare, Education, and Irrigation in Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004 under the Cabinet of Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

He became a Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi party and took office as a Cabinet Minister on January 25, 2015.

Singapuram Indira (Congress)

Station Ghanpur BRS MLA T Rajaiah's brother-in-law's wife, Singapuram Indira, is the Congress candidate from Station Ghanpur in the Telangana Assembly Elections 2023.

Indira belongs to Cherial, and her father was a key member of the Congress SC cell. His sister Sarojamma, a BJP candidate, contested against KCR in Siddipet and lost.

Indira, who's into the real estate business, owns chicken farms in Shadnagar and maintains good relationships with Christian organisations.

Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao(BJP)

Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao, a former Minister, is the BJP's candidate in Station Ghanpur. He will face former Deputy Chief Minister and BRS MLC Kadiyam Srihari, as well as Congress candidate Singarapu Indira.

Vijaya Rama Rao is one of the senior most Dalit leaders in Telangana State. He scored a thumping victory in 2004 Assembly general elections by defeating Kadiyam Srihari when the latter contested on the TDP ticket.

Geography

As the home constituency of two Deputy Chief Ministers of the State, this reserved rural constituency is considered the seat of power in the Jangaon district. This constituency includes five mandals: Station Ghanpur, Dharmasagar, Raghunathpalle, Zaffergadh, and Lingalaghanpur.

Background

The TDP, once a strong force in this constituency, has been losing its influence due to the emergence of the Telangana movement. TRS expanded its presence by winning the 2011 by-elections from theINC, gaining over 50 per cent votes and gaining a significant presence in the constituency.

The party that wins this constituency is expected to form the Telangana Government, according to a strong belief.

The SC community has a significant impact on election results.

MLA Profile

Personal Background

T Rajaiah, born on November 22, 1964, earned his MBBS from Kakatiya Medical College. Rajaiah, despite coming from a poor background, diligently pursued education and earned his MBBS from Kakatiya Medical College in 1981. T Rajaiah, Madiga, has converted to Christianity and started a private practice as a pediatrician doctor in Hanamakonda.

Political Background

He began his political career in the INC and contested as an MLA in 1998 Assembly Elections and lost to TDP candidate. He contested as an MLA but lost to the TDP candidate in the 2008 By-election. He contested as MLA in the Assembly Elections 2009 and defeated the TDP candidate.

Following the death of his political mentor YSR, he joined TRS and won three consecutive elections in 2011 (By-elections), 2014 AE, and 2018 AE. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Profession Doctor: (Kranthi Children's Hospital)

2014 Assembly Elections Analysis

Thatikonda Rajaiah of TRS won the 2014 Assembly Elections with a comfortable 57 percent vote share. His success was attributed to widespread support for the Telangana movement and the TRS wave at the time.

The influential TDP leader, Kadiyam Srihari, joined TRS and contested as an MP candidate in the Warangal Parliamentary Constituency, helping TRS consolidate SC votes. The lack of strong leadership within INC also favoured the TRS candidate.

Kadiyam Srihari's decision to include BC community leaders from the TDP in the TRS significantly increased the party's vote share. Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao (INC) won 25 percent of the votes, while TDP candidate Dommeti Sambaiah (TDP) secured 11.4 percent.

2018 Assembly Elections Analysis

TRS candidate Thatikonda Rajaiah secured a victory despite facing strong anti-incumbency sentiment. The success of TRS candidates was significantly influenced by the well-organized presence of TRS and the popularity of KCR. The TRS's position was strengthened by the absence of strong opposition leaders.

The joint campaigning of Kadiyam Srihari (MLC) and Rajaiah significantly contributed to the consolidation of Madiga votes in favor of the TRS.

The INC's Indira Singapuram, Rajaiah's cousin sister, was fielded but denied a ticket to ex-MLA Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao, leading to infighting and he worked against the INC candidate. After the PE election, Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao joined the BJP.

Thatikonda Rajaiah (BRS) secured 49.5% of the votes, Indira Singapuram (INC) secured 31.5 percent of the votes, while BSP candidate Prathap Rajarapu secured 11.4 per cent of the votes. The BJP secured less than 1 per cent of the votes.

Current Situation

The MLA is facing anti-incumbency, fuelled by unfulfilled election promises, particularly regarding water shortages in the constituency. The incumbent MLA has been accused of corruption and favoritism. The infighting, particularly with ex-MLA Kadiyam Srihari, has led to a rise in groupism within the BRS. The INC has a robust cadre but lacks effective leadership.

Former MLA Gunde Vijaya Rama Rao has changed his political affiliation from INC to BJP. The BJP needs to concentrate on enhancing its booth-level workers and grassroots organization in the constituency.

Key Local Issues

• Demand for Government Degree College in Zaffergadh.
• Need to improve basic facilities in Dalit colonies.
• Lack of Government healthcare facilities in the constituency.
• The construction of the Lingamapally- Malkapur reservoir has not yet begun. It holds 10.78 TMC of water from the Devadula lift irrigation project.
  
• Demand for Leather Park