Khammam Powers Congress’s Telangana Triumph, as Voters Berate BRS ‘Corruption’ – News18

Are we set to see a repeat of 2018 in Telangana’s Khammam district? The area, known as a Congress belt traditionally, was the only ray of hope for the party in 2018 where Ajay Puvvada from Khammam town was the lone winner from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (previously TRS). This year too, the 10 seats in the undivided Khammam district are showing a strong victory trend for the Congress.

The undivided district has 10 seats — Pinapaka, Yellandu, Khammam, Palair, Madhira, Wyra, Sathupalli, Kothagudem, Aswaraopeta, and Bhadrachalam. In 2018, Praja Kutami, an alliance of the Congress, TDP, CPI, and TJS, won nine of these seats. The Congress won from six segments.

The present numbers are showing that the Congress has already won the seats of Pinapaka, Yellandu, Khammam, Palair, Madhira, Wyra, Sathupalle, and Aswaraopeta. Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao from the CPI has won Kothagudem with 79,636 votes, while BRS candidate Tellam Venkat Rao has bagged Bhadrachalam with 53,252 votes.

Fielding strong candidates in the area has worked in favour of the Congress. While senior leader Bhatti Vikramarka, a CM probable, has won from Madhira, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, who had won the 2014 general elections on a YSRCP ticket, has netted Palair. Interestingly, Srinivasa Reddy was suspended by the BRS for anti-party activities and he joined the Congress in July. He is known for his strong connection to the people and his welfare activities on the ground.

Similarly, Tummala Nageswara Rao has won the Khammam General seat. He was previously a minister in the BRS cabinet and joined the Congress in September. He is a seasoned politician who also served in NTR’s cabinet. He has put Telangana transport minister, Ajay Puvvada, in second spot.

One major complaint from voters in Khammam district was alleged corruption by the BRS. The ruling party was accused of delivering benefits of schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Dalit Bandhu only to a select group of people.