Congress Nominates Party Loyalist Gidugu Rudra Raju From Rajahmundry (image-X/ RudrarajuGidugu)

The former president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Gidugu Rudra Raju, is the Congress candidate for Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency comprises seven Vidhan Sabhas, including Anaparthy, Rajahmundry City, Rajahmundry Rural, Rajanagaram, Kovvur, Nidadavole, and Gopalapuram.

Rudraraju stepped down as APCC chief in January. The former MLC in the state legislative council has also served as the chairman of AP Medical Infrastructure Corporation. As a Congress leader, he has served as the AICC secretary in charge of Odisha.

Having started his political career at a young age as a student union leader of the National Student’s Union of India (NSUI), Congress’ student wing, Rudraraju has been a loyal member of the grand old party since the beginning of his political career.

Rudraraju is pitted against state BJP chief Daggubati Purandeswari and the YSR Congress Party’s Guduri Srinivas in what is set to be a triangular battle for the Rajahmundry Lok Sabha seat.

For a long time, the Lok Sabha seat oscillated between Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over the years. In the 2019 elections, Margani Bharat of the YSRCP won the seat with 5.8 lakh votes, while TDP candidate Maganti Rupa won 4.6 lakh votes.

The Rajahmundry seat is one of the six seats that the BJP is contesting with alliance partners TDP and JanaSena Party (JSP).

There is an SC population of 19.29 percent, while the ST population is 3.56 percent. Notably, Muslims (1.81 percent) and Christians (1.2 percent) also make up a small minority.

The Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency went to polls on May 13.