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Rajahmundry braces for a three-way contest between Congress' Gidugu Rudra Raju, BJP's Daggubati Purandeswari and YSRCP's Guduri Srinivas during the 4th phase of the 2024 general elections i.e. May 13. The date of vote counting is June 4.
Earlier in January, Rudraraju Gidugu stepped down from the post of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Chief. In the 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections, Rudraraju played a significant part on behalf of the party. When YSR was the CM, he served as the Chairman of AP Medical Infrastructure Corporation. He also got elected to the Legislative Council of United AP. Within the party, he held the post of AICC Secretary and also discharged duties as incharge of Odisha. BJP candidate Purandeswari was made Andhra Pradesh unit president in the first week of July last year in place of Somu Veerraju who held that post since 2020. She joined the BJP in 2014 after resigning from the Congress. YSRCP's Guduri Srinivas is contesting for the first time from Rajahmundry Lok Sabha seat and is a political novice but a well-known pulmonologist in the city. The Rajahmundry constituency encompasses seven assembly segments namely Anaparthy, Rajanagaram, Rajahmundry City, Rajahmundry Rural, Kovvur, Nidadavole and Gopalapuram. In Lok Sabha elections 2019, YSRCP's Margani Bharat registered victory by securing 582024 votes. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate Maganti Roopa could reach the mark of 460390 votes making Margani Bharat win the elections with a vote margin of 121634 votes. It is noteworthy that the Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency is located on the eastern bank of the Godavari River. The city's population stood at 341,831 as per the 2011 census. The first general polls held in the constituency were won by the Praja Socialist Party. Over time, the Congress managed to make a stronghold over Rajahmundry and managed to register victory ten times but the rise of TDP marked a significant change in the political landscape. Notably, the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held simultaneously on May 13. In the 2019 assembly elections, the YSRCP secured a thumping majority in Andhra with 151 seats, while the TDP's tally was reduced to just 23 seats. In the Lok Sabha elections the same year, the YSRCP raked in the lion's share of the poll sweepstakes, winning 22 seats, while the TDP could only bag three seats. (ANI)
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