Bifurcation haunts Union Minister Deo in Araku

VISAKHAPATNAM: Electors in Araku Lok Sabha constituency, whose seven Assembly segments lie scattered zig-zag across four districts, have a difficult decision to make.

Though the Congress is almost washed out in Seemandhra for dividing the state, it is still alive, though not kicking, in this constituency where Union minister V Kishore Chandra Deo who has a very good image, hopes to retain the seat.

Then there are Kothapally Geetha of YSRC and Gummidi Sandhya Rani of TDP also to choose from. The discontent against Deo for not fighting against bifurcation and worse still for his act of openly extending support to division has touched the raw nerve of the youth.

K Appa Rao of Parvathipuram says: 'If the Congres is dead, it is because of leaders like Kishore Chandra Deo who openly supported bifurcation.' But Deo is sure of victory though he does not hazard a guess about the margin.

'I do not speculate on margins. I had a winning margin of nearly two lakh votes in 2009. Tribals are with me. I have done a lot for them,' he says.

In the Agency area of Visakhapatnam, bauxite-mining is surely an issue. Says Alluri Sitarama Raju Tribal Welfare Association president Kilo Surendra: 'We are thankful to Deo for fighting against bauxite mining by private companies. We are not against bauxite mining per se. We will be happy if the government sets up an alumina refinery, mines bauxite ore and thus creates employment for tribals. Why should it be handed over to private companies?' he asks.

KURUPAM:

Except in the Kuruppam Assembly segment, where Deo lives, a symbol of roayl legacy inherited from his forefathers, the people in other segments are not very sure if he will be able to do an encore.

'He is a nice man. He is honest and does not buy votes. But the problem with him is that he has done neither good nor harm to anyone,' says an LIC agent, VBG Gupta, in Kuruppam.

Kuruppam is a small village with very narrow roads and you cannot miss the plaques bearing Kishore Chandra Deo's name all over and indicating that the various public works like drains and roads are executed with the money provided by him under the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). 'I have spent `10,000 crore on developmental works in my constituency,' claims Deo.

PARVATHIPURAM

But will people remember him at the time of voting? In Parvathipuram, a bank employee, says with a wry smile: 'He is a nice man but what use would it be for us? He is always in Delhi. There is no point in voting for him though I have regard for him,' he says and remembers how Deo facilitated bifurcation.

He has not done anything for Parvathipuram town. He has done a disservice by allowing bifurcation,' he says. Then which party are the electors looking at as polling is just a couple of days away?

Almost all the people with whom this reporter has chatted were not very sure whether they should vote for YSRC or TDP. 'I am not able to make a decision. In some ways both Naidu and Jagan are good.

Naidu has experience and Jagan has inherited his father's legacy. He says he will implement all the welfare schemes launched by YSR. I do not know whom I should vote for,' says a farmer, V Narayana, of Gujjipadu near Kuruppam

SALUR:

Move away from Kurupam and drive through to Salur, a town known for truck business, the political and geographic landscape slowly changes. The lush green fields fed by the Thotapalli water transform into upland area where irrigation facility is absent.

In Devibuthimpet, which is part of the Salur, farmers are angry with no irrigation facility. Says a small farmer, Bole Appa Rao, who time under the shade of a bus shelter outside the village: 'No one visits us. Our district has important leaders like Botcha Satyanrarayana, Kishore Chandra Deo and Botcha Jhansi. But no one enquires about our problems. As this is the election time, they are paying visits to us but they are very perfunctory in nature.'

Then, between the two ' Jagan and Naidu ' who is the messiah? Some want a young man like Jagan to take over as CM. They dismiss the corruption case against him as political witch-hunt by the Congress.

'Everyone knows about this. I personally want him at the helm,' says a truck driver, Swarna Kumar, in Salur. His friend Ganta Sai Ram, who is also a truck driver, believes that Naidu is a better bet. Between the two, I prefer Naidu and of course Modi at the Centre, implying that he would support the TDP-BJP candidate for the Araku Lok Sabha seat.