VIJAYAWADA: TDP MLA Nimmala Ramanaidu is facing tough competition from Jana Sena's Gunnam Narasimga Nagendra Rao (Nagababu) and YSRC's Dr. Ch. Satyanarayamurthy (Dr. Babjee) in Palakollu.
All the three candidates belong to Kapu community. The party which attracts Arya Vyshya and SC voters will have a better chance of victory. Palakollu has been a TDP citadel and the party has won six out of eight elections since 1983.
TDP's Allu Venkata Satyanarayana won on four occasions and Nimmala Ramanaidu won in 2014.
Jana Sena's Gunnam Nagababu is giving a strong fight to TDP. Nagababu, who worked for more than six years in YSRC was denied ticket, joined Jana Sena.
Strong grassroots cadre and close links with Arya Vysya and SC communities along with the campaign of Narasapuram MP candidate and actor-turned-politician Nagababu is an additional advantage for Nagababu.
"Pawan gave the call for 'zero budget politics' and it attracted me," said Nagababu.