Vizianagaram Big Fight: TDP’s Ashok Gajapathi Vs YSRCP’s Bellana Chandrasekhar   

Vizianagaram: Vizianagaram Parliamentary Constituency is located in Srikakulam & Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh. As per the estimates of 2011 census, out of total 1900655 population 78.4% is rural and 21.6% is urban population.

Vizianagaram is a relatively new constituency, which came into existence in 2008, following the implementation of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India constituted in 2002.

As per the voter list of 2018, there are 1354994 electorates and 1749 polling stations in this constituency. Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Etcherla, Rajam, Bobbili, Chipurupalli, Gajjapathinagaram, Nellimarla and Vijayanagaram.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati (TDP) is the present Lok Sabha MP of Vizianagaram Parliamentary Constituency - Lok Sabha.He has been nominated again by the Telugu Desam Party as its candidate for the Vizianagaram Parliamentary Constituency after specualtions that he may not contest this time.

YSR Congress Party candidate Bellana Chandrasekhar who was a former ZPTC Chairman of Vizianagaram is in the fray this time as the YSRCP Lok Sabha candidate.

A farmer's son from a modest middle class background, Bellana Chandrasekhar had earlier contested for the Cheepurupalli assembly constituency in 2014 elections as YSRCP candidate but lost the elections.

But despite the loss he chose to stay loyal to the party and recognising his capabilities YSJagan Mohan Reddy gave him the MP ticket from Vizianagaram. Bellana Chandrasekhar belongs to the Kapu community who are in large numbers in this region.

The election tussle in Vizianagaram is going to be between a scion of a local Royal family Ashok Gajapathi Raju - who has been a two-time MP and six - time MLA from this region and farmer's son who is slowly gaining ground in the Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency.

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