One is an aggressive leader, currently the CM face of Congress, and the other is a leader with a cool image, presently a sitting MLA. They are Revanth Reddy and Narender Reddy, both contesting in the Kodangal Assembly segment. Kodangal is considered one of the hot seats in Telangana, sparking intense discussions among the public and in political circles. In the 2018 elections, Narender Reddy emerged victorious against Revanth Reddy in Kodangal. However, this time around, with Revanth Reddy as the CM candidate of Congress, the battle appears to be highly competitive. Our South One News team recently visited Kodangal to gauge the pulse of the constituency. Let’s take a closer look at the current scenario.
Also Read: Telangana Elections: Kamareddi Ground Report
What’s the public opinion on Revanth Reddy in Kodangal?
The public supporting Revanth Reddy’s victory in Kodangal are notably more vocal compared to BRS supporters. Revanth Reddy’s backers are highly confident that their leader will emerge victorious in the constituency this time around. They cite three key reasons for their preference. Firstly, Kodangal gained recognition after Revanth Reddy was elected from this constituency in 2009 and 2014. Secondly, now that he is the CM face of the Congress party, supporters believe that if he becomes the Chief Minister, he can bring about significant development in Kodangal. The third reason is the prevailing anti-incumbency sentiment against the current government.
Supporters of Revanth Reddy assert that the development in Kodangal took place during his tenure. They defend him by arguing that, during his second term as MLA in 2014, he couldn’t undertake more development in Kodangal due to a lack of funds from the BRS government.
Revanth Reddy 🔥pic.twitter.com/YkqedOmU0C
— Ashish Singh (@AshishSinghKiJi) November 23, 2023
Moreover, a statewide Congress wave is influencing the public in Kodangal. If Congress wins the assembly elections, there is a strong belief that Revanth Reddy will become the Chief Minister of the state, even though there is a lot of competition in Congress for that post. This expectation is a driving factor for voters in favor of Revanth Reddy. They recall that it was during the Congress government that they received housing under the Indiramma housing scheme, emphasizing that the KCR government did not provide similar benefits. Local farmers supporting Revanth Reddy question the BRS government on the issue of crop loan waiver.
They criticize KCR for not fulfilling promises, contrasting it with the Congress period when Rajasekhar Reddy implemented a complete loan waiver at once, while the BRS government did so in four phases, with only interest on the loan being waived, according to farmers. The issue of unemployment is also being raised, arguing that KCR has failed to address the aspirations of the youth. Supporters of Revanth Reddy express hope that if Congress wins the assembly elections and comes into power, Kodangal will witness improvements in housing, employment, and overall development. They are questioning why Kodangal didn’t develop like Sircilla, Siddipet, and Gajwel, these are the constituencies represented by KTR, Harish Rao, and KCR. They point out that KTR promised during the 2018 assembly elections to adopt Kodangal but ignored it after winning.
How is the Public Reacting to Sitting MLA Narender Reddy
Narender Reddy has good recognition among the Kodangal public. Even supporters of Revanth Reddy acknowledge him as a good person, noting his accessibility to everyone in the constituency. Supporters praise Narender Reddy for his local presence, attending even small family functions, in contrast to Revanth Reddy, who is perceived to merely stage appearances in Kodangal and leave.
Many locals attribute improvements in their streets and the overall condition of Kodangal roads to Narender Reddy’s tenure as MLA. Some beneficiaries of government schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, Kalyana Lakshmi, and Asara Pensions express their support for Narender Reddy in the upcoming elections.
రేవంత్ రెడ్డిని కామారెడ్డిలో అంగి పోయేదాకా జంపుతున్నరు.. ఇక్కడ కొడంగల్లో మీరు లాగు పోయేదాకా జంపాలి – సీఎం కేసీఆర్ pic.twitter.com/dIbq87x0xW
— Patnam Narender Reddy (@PNReddyBRS) November 22, 2023
Despite Narender Reddy being a well-regarded candidate, there is a prevailing anti-incumbency sentiment against the BRS government, causing some people to shift their support towards the Congress party. Notably, a majority of Muslims in the Kodangal constituency, constituting 6.4% of the total votes (13,820 votes out of 2,15,936), strongly support Narender Reddy.
In the previous election, Narender Reddy secured victory in Kodangal against Revanth Reddy with a margin of 9,319 votes. In a recent public meeting, KCR pledged that if the people of Kodangal ensure Narender Reddy’s victory, he would be promoted to the position of Minister. Additionally, he assured that the BRS government would allocate substantial funds to Kodangal in the event of Narender Reddy’s success.
Stand of neutral voters..!
Neutral voters have expressed that they will decide on the polling day regarding whom to vote for. Some neutral voters have mentioned that the chances are evenly split at 50-50, anticipating a tough competition between Narender Reddy and Revanth Reddy. Currently, both parties are actively involved in election campaigns within the constituency. Revanth Reddy, as the TPCC chief, is covering campaigns in other constituencies, while his brothers Tirupati Reddy, Kondal Reddy, Jagadeeshwar Reddy, and Krishna Reddy are overseeing the local campaign in Kodangal.
On the other hand, Narender Reddy is personally visiting every village, engaging with the public, and seeking support for the elections. As Revanth Reddy leads the Congress party in these elections and is contesting from two constituencies, Kodangal and Kamareddy, winning the election is not only crucial for him individually but also holds significant prestige for the party. The anticipation is high, and we will have to wait until the poll results on December 3rd to see how Kodangal delivers its verdict.
[…] Also Read: Telangana Elections: Kodangal Ground Report […]