Cyclone Montha made landfall near Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh and is now weakening into a depression. The state government is working on the ground to minimise damage and ensure effective relief and rehabilitation.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan are closely monitoring the situation through review meetings with officials. Pawan Kalyan has been holding hourly teleconferences with Kakinada district authorities, including Special Officer Krishna Teja, Collector Shahn Mohan, and SP Bindu Madhav.
Meanwhile, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has seized the opportunity to target Pawan Kalyan in his Pithapuram constituency. Former MP and YSRCP in-charge Vanga Geetha, who had remained inactive since her 2024 defeat, has returned to the constituency.
She has been touring cyclone-affected areas for the past two days, meeting farmers and displaced residents while promising assistance. YSRCP is also pushing the “local MLA” narrative, arguing that only a local representative can respond effectively during crises.
Interestingly, Vanga Geetha used the same “local vs non-local” line during the 2024 Assembly elections but lost by a wide margin. Pawan Kalyan won with a majority of 70,279 votes, securing nearly double the votes of his opponent.
In Pithapuram, caste equations and Pawan Kalyan’s star appeal strongly favour him. However, his physical absence from the constituency has often drawn criticism. Now, as Deputy Chief Minister, he is expected to focus more on consolidating Pithapuram as his political stronghold.
