Nagarkurnool
With two years still remaining for the next elections, political activity has begun intensifying in the Nagarkurnool Assembly constituency. While the Congress secured victory in the 2023 elections with a majority of more than 5,000 votes, political circles are now debating whether the party is maintaining the same momentum.
The BRS, which suffered a narrow defeat in 2023, appears to have shifted gears and is increasingly becoming active on the ground. During the 2023 elections, MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy played a key role in securing the Congress ticket for his son Kuchukulla Rajesh Reddy. Former minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy, who was then associated with the Congress, opposed the move and extended support to BRS candidate Marri Janardhan Reddy, later joining the BRS. Despite these developments, the Congress emerged victorious.
Political equations have changed considerably since then. After former Achampet MLA Guvvala Balaraju joined the BJP, responsibilities in Achampet were reportedly entrusted to former Nagarkurnool MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy. His attention shifted towards Achampet for some time. With political assessments surrounding delimitation changing, he is now said to be focusing once again on Nagarkurnool and accelerating BRS activities in the constituency.
The BRS has been attempting to strengthen its presence by highlighting public issues, mobilising party workers, organising protests and conducting programmes to demonstrate its organisational strength. These activities have intensified discussions within political circles over whether the Congress is responding with sufficient political momentum.
MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy and MLA Kuchukulla Rajesh Reddy remain the key public representatives of the Congress in the constituency. Along with taking government welfare and development programmes to the people, the ruling party also faces the challenge of keeping its cadre active and politically engaged. However, there is growing criticism within political circles that the Congress has not displayed the expected level of aggression on the ground.
Political analysts caution that relying on the 2023 victory could prove risky. They say a seat won in the previous election cannot automatically be considered secure in the next election. If the opposition strengthens its ground network two years before the polls while the ruling party remains passive, the Congress could be forced into a last-minute political battle.
The BRS’s increasing activity on public issues is also putting pressure on the Congress to present a stronger political counter. Political observers believe the ruling party needs to communicate its welfare schemes and development initiatives more aggressively while keeping its cadre continuously active among the people.
The emerging political scenario suggests that the Nagarkurnool contest may not be as easy for the Congress as it was in 2023. With the BRS appearing increasingly active and the Congress facing questions over its ground-level momentum, political circles are already viewing the developments as an early warning signal for the ruling party ahead of the next Assembly elections.
