Kadapa, April 08: Will Mayamma, a Dalit of Thudumaladinne in in the Mydukur Assembly constituency cast her vote on Sunday? The question is uppermost in the minds of the people as Thudumaladinne, which is just 2 km from Mydukur MLA and minister DL Ravindra Reddy’s native village of Sunkesula, is one of the villages in Kadapa notorious for rigging in the past 30 years. The village, which has 1,257 voters, has been following Ravindra Reddy ever since it elected him for first time in 1978 as an independent.
Now, after 30 years, the scene is reverse. The villagers are getting Rs 200 to Rs 500 from every party for their vote. For years Mayamma and her neighbour Premakka have been going to the polling booth only to return without voting as their votes had already been cast by the minions of the buyers of their votes.
The terror struck by the minister and his men the other day created a rift between the villagers of Thudumaladinne and their leader Ravindra Reddy.When DLR’s cousins D Gangadhar Reddy and D Srinivasulu Reddy had deserted his camp, some other leaders of Thudumaladinne too parted ways with him. Ravindra Reddy’s relations soured not only with political leaders but also with big and influential landlords and farmers.
As a payback, they joined hands with Jagan, enraging DL who had all along been considering the villages in Khajipet mandal as his bastion.
Three days ago, he and his men visited the Dalitwada of that village and threatened every soul there with serious consequences if they voted against him. Jagan, who visited the village on the following day, assured the villagers of his support.
Now, with a majority of the voters deciding to support Jagan openly, it is to be seen whether there will be free and fearless polling here.
Krishan Reddy, a local leader who had suffered at the hands of DL Ravindra Reddy and broke ties with him after supporting him for 30 years, says the election will be fair this time. He is candid enough to admit that rigging took place in the past.
–Agencies