Family contest in Armoor

Surrounded by nine bewitching hills, the agriculture-rich Armoor, also known as Navanathapuram is geared up for an interesting ‘all in the family’ contest in this citadel of Congress. 

The vagaries of delimitation, which redrew the contours of the erstwhile Balkonda and Armoor segments, has locked speaker K R Suresh Reddy and his aunt Yeleti Annapurnamma in a curious contest. As half of his previous constituency, Balkonda, went to Armoor in the delimitation exercise, the affable speaker K R Suresh Reddy had to shift from his stronghold  from where he was elected four times from 1989 to 2004, equaling the record of former finance minister Argul Rajaram Gupta. The first leader from Nizamabad district to occupy the coveted Speaker’s post, his performance as MLA and also his stature are points in his favour.

A promising cricketer in school and college, widely regarded for his bowling speed, Suresh Reddy played alongside Mohammed Azharudddin. With an unbeaten track record from Balkonda constituency in Nizamabad district, Suresh Reddy presently finds himself playing for the people. 

During his political innings as an MLA, he was the Library Committee chairman of the Assembly from 1990 to 1993. In 1997, he assumed the charge of chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and served as the Congress party whip from 2000-2003.

Articulate, young and well-versed in parliamentary etiquette, the non-controversial leader was instrumental in bringing several irrigation and drinking water schemes to Balkonda constituency. Projects like Argul Rajaram Gutpha lift irrigation scheme intended to supply water to the tail-end lands of Nizam Sagar Project; Jalalpur and Choutpally Hanumantha Reddy LI schemes are among his initiatives.

On the other hand, his aunt and TDP’s in-charge for Armoor initially wanted to contest from Balkonda, but had to yield to pressure from the party leadership as Balkonda was allotted to the TRS in seat adjustments. Annapurnamma evokes some sympathy as she was defeated twice earlier.                                                                               

Among the other candidates in the fray, Dr Madhu Sekhar, who runs a private hospital, is known to have done some charity work. The Praja Rajyam Party has pitted him in the general constituency, though he is an SC. As a doctor he has goodwill among rural people.