Candidates running for the Maheshwaram constituency this year include Sabitha Indra Reddy from BRS, Andela Sriramulu Yadav from BJP, and Kichannagari Laxma Reddy from Congress. Sabitha Indra Reddy, the current MLA, won in 2018 with 53.3% of the votes polled.
The key issues in the constituency include encroachment on government lands, an increase in crime rate, and a lack of drinking water in several areas.
Maheshwaram is a large constituency in Rangareddy district, consisting of four mandals and four Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). It shares boundaries with other constituencies like Chandrayangutta and Rajendranagar. The BC and minority votes dominate the constituency, with Balapur mandal having a significant number of minority votes.
Despite anti-incumbency sentiment, no candidate from the opposition parties has emerged to challenge Sabitha Indra Reddy. The Congress and BJP camps are divided and suffering from groupism. Voters in the constituency are neither rejecting nor endorsing any party this time, as they feel that only political leaders and their cadre benefit from government schemes while genuine families remain deprived. People are upset over the lack of development and the increase in crimes in the area.
In Balapur, people have taken matters into their own hands by building basic amenities like sewerage as they feel the municipal officials have failed to address their grievances. Some voters believe that development only happens during election time.
Interestingly, this election will see a face-off between Sabitha Indra Reddy and Kichannagari Laxma Reddy, who previously faced each other in the year 2000. Sabitha Indra Reddy won that election with a large margin of votes.
Overall, the vacuum created by the lack of a strong opposition candidate may impact the outcome of the elections in Maheshwaram.
