Tekkali: Atchennaidu Turns Lucky!

Tekkali in Srikakulam district is the bastion of the Telugu Desam Party. The party won eight out of the eleven elections that happened here after its inception.

It is worth noting that TDP founder NT Rama Rao had bagged the seat in the 1994 elections.

Kinjarapu family is known to have a grip on Tekkali and erstwhile Harishchandrapuram Assembly segments. Former Union minister Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu and his brother Atchannaidu emerged victorious from the Harishchandrapuram Assembly segment four and three times respectively.

Late YSR used delimitation intelligently to cut the constituency and merge it into the Tekkali and Palasa Assembly segments in 2008.

Atchennaidu lost 2009 and 2009 by-poll to the Congress candidate as a result.

But Atchennaidu has won two elections (2014 and 2019) on a trot and is keen on a hat trick.

Duvvada Srinivas is the YSR Congress candidate here. Duvvada contested for the same seat in 2009 and 2014 but lost on both occasions.

Due to many reasons, Atchennaidu was facing anti-incumbency here until recently and a Keen Contest is likely in Tekkali.

Duvvada, at the same time, got a grip on the constituency being an MLC by having the entire government machinery work for him.

Kaalinga community is the dominant in Tekkali’s population. More than 60% of them are supporting YSR Congress this time. Duvvada Srinivas hails from the Kaalinga community.

Atchennaidu hails from the Velama Community which is second dominant here.

Former Central Minister Killi Kruparani recently quit the YSR Congress. She was reduced to tears in the Press conference alleging that Jagan insulted her. She will be the Congress candidate here. She belongs to the Kalinga community and will divide the votes which will help Atchennaidu.

With this, there is no question of Keen Contest and Atchennaidu is likely to win easily once again.