Actor-turned-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna is having a tough time at Hindupur Assembly constituency this time if the talk of the town is to be believed. He won the seat twice in the past and is hoping for a hat-trick. However, his unavailability to the voters has become the core issue this time.
The YSR Congress fielded T N Deepika, a local woman leader this time. The YSR Congress fielded B Naveen Nischal in 2014 and Shaik Mohmmad Iqbal in 2019 unsuccessfully. This time, the party changed the candidate and fielded a woman candidate, who would be available to the voters round the clock.
There are 2,49, 174 voters in the constituency. The polling went up to 77.82 per cent votes, recording the highest. This was more than the votes polled in 2014 and 2019 general election. The highest polling percentage indicates anti-incumbency to the sitting MLA.
The YSR Congress candidate was ahead of Balakrishna in the campaign. She visited every house and interacted with every section of the people. As a film actor, Balakrishna had no such access to the people. Moreover, Balakrishna is known for his arrogance and keeping people away from him.
Balakrishna has no house in Hindupur. He lives in Hyderabad and stays in a guest house at Hindupur. He visits Hindupur very rarely and gives less time for the people to meet him. There was some negative feeling among the voters in Hindupur, Lepakshi and Chilamatthur mandals for his arrogance.
He did nothing for the constituency in the last ten years as their legislator. He hardly met the people there. He never attended the local body meeting in Hindupur. It is alleged that he never owned the town or the constituency.
On the contrary, the YSR Congress had been very close to the people. They have been visiting the people every day. The party leaders have participated in the door-to-door campaign and met the people. The government also implemented several welfare schemes which had become an advantage for the YSR Congress.
