Tuni constituency of East Godavari district is the stronghold of TDP ever since its inception. TDP has won six elections on a trot from 1983 to 2004.
Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was the TDP candidate all the times.
But then, Yanamala and his family had lost their grip on the constituency since then.
Congress candidate won here in 2009 elections and YSR Congress’s Dadisetty Raja won two consecutive elections.
Rama Krishnudu himself list in the 2009 elections and he has gone as an MLC and his brother Krishnudu has tried his luck in the next two elections.
The difference in votes is also increasing with each election (8K+ in 2009, 19K in 2014, and 24K in 2019).
Yanamala’s elder brother’s son, Rajesh is also expecting a TDP ticket this time. TDP in Tuni is divided between Krishnudu and Rajesh now.
Rajesh previously tried to get Tuni ticket from the PRP party but failed. During the previous TDP government, he got the Annavaram Trust Board director post.
Buzz in the constituency is that he has the support of Ramakrishnudu and his two daughters.
TDP is not able to make use of the anti-incumbency on Dadisetti Raja because the Yanamala family is not able to mingle well with the cadre as well as the people.
Recent internal surveys of TDP also give an edge to YSR Congress.
Probably Chandrababu Naidu has to try something different here to win in 2024.
