Pawan Kalyan.
Credit: PTI Photo
Pithapuram: Pithapuram, an otherwise laid-back town in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh, is witnessing an epic electoral battle between Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and YSRCP's Vanga Geetha Viswanath.
One can witness heated discussions about the pluses and minuses of both Kalyan and Geetha in every corner of Pithapuram.
Punters are betting big on the Pithapuram outcome. Pithapuram, which falls under the Godavari region, is popular for betting rings ranging from cricket outcomes to elections.
For Kalyan, who has never tasted electoral success as he lost in two segments — Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram — in the 2019 polls, Pithapuram stands as an important destination in his political career that spans more than a decade and a half, ever since he debuted in politics with his elder brother and actor Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam in 2009.
As the Telugu superstar tests his electoral fortunes once again in Pithapuram, his opponent, YSRCP's Geetha, who has had a successful political career, is giving him a tough time.
DH's ground interactions with a wide spectrum of voters in Pithapuram revealed a local versus non-local contest, with both sides using all available resources to secure a win. There are roughly 2.2 lakh voters in Pithapuram.
The large presence of Kapus, the community to which Pawan Kalyan belongs, is reportedly one of the main reasons he chose Pithapuram. Interestingly, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also chose a Kapu, Geetha, to take on the actor-politician. Jagan replaced incumbent MLA Pandem Dorababu with Geetha to take on Pawan Kalyan.
"Geetha is just a call away from us. She is always there for us. She knows everyone in our area and frequently visits us to enquire about our well-being. Pawan Kalyan, however, does not belong here. He is a non-local, and we never know if he will stay here or go back to Hyderabad and make films," Kumar, an auto driver at Pithapuram's main junction, told DH.
Though he bears the title of 'non-local', Kalyan's immense popularity as a matinee idol has swept through the entire Pithapuram irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
"None can match his charisma. He has come to us and chosen Pithauram to contest. It's our responsibility to send him to the Assembly. I am sure Pithapuram will become a VIP segment once he wins from here and the NDA alliance forms the government. He will allocate funds for Pithapuram's overall development. If Geetha wins, Pithapuram will remain one of the many segments in which YSRCP has won. There won't be any special attention,” Suresh, who works in a hotel in Pithapuram town, told DH.
When Suresh uttered the word Pawan Kalyan, his eyes sparkled. Though the actor's charisma has swept this small town, the support of TDP cadres is very crucial for the actor-politician to win Pithapuram.
TDP's strong man in the segment, SVSN Varma, who was initially disappointed for not getting the ticket, appears to have fallen in line. Varma's support for Kalyan has turned significant for the latter.
Contesting on its own without an alliance with the TDP cost the Jana Sena in the last Assembly polls.
Had the TDP votes gone in favour of Kalyan, he would have won at least one seat in 2019.
While the actor has deployed his party's leaders in all the mandals for a micromanagement campaign, he also camped in the segment for many days before starting his statewide campaign on behalf of the NDA alliance.