BJP's Satya Kumar Braves Soaring Heat, Pledges Progress for Dharmavaram

The lack of irrigation has forced farmers to give up farming activities, with some shifting to other jobs for their livelihood.Kumar, who is covering 20-25 villages daily, said the Dharmavaram assembly segment is in a terrible condition, and the alleged that the sitting YSR Congress MLA has not done any development works here.Although there are good water bodies in this constituency, the state government has not taken any steps to revive them and ensure drinking water to rural people.

In the sweltering heat, BJP National General Secretary Y Satya Kumar is campaigning door-to-door in rural areas of the Dharmavaram assembly constituency, vowing to address numerous issues ranging from the shortage of drinking water to bad roads and healthcare facilities, besides weavers' issues.

As he walks through the narrow bylanes of Nidimigadda village with his supporters from alliance partners TDP and Jana Sena Party, the residents, especially women and elders, welcome him and request him to provide at least drinking water to the village if he wins in the elections.

Even on a peak hot summer afternoon, residents have come out of their homes, enthused to catch a glimpse of the new BJP candidate contesting for the first time from this assembly segment.

''The campaign is going incredibly well. Despite being new, people are welcoming me with extraordinary warmth. I will be indebted for this forever,'' Kumar told PTI in the middle of his campaign.

Nidimigadda village is located just 18 km away from Dharmavaram, a city known for handloom silk sarees. The village with 350 households having 900 voters has only one drinking water tank constructed during the TDP tenure and a privately-owned water purifying plant. This is the only drinking water source for them. The lack of irrigation has forced farmers to give up farming activities, with some shifting to other jobs for their livelihood.

Kumar, who is covering 20-25 villages daily, said the Dharmavaram assembly segment is in a ''terrible'' condition, and the alleged that the sitting YSR Congress MLA has not done any development works here.

Although there are good water bodies in this constituency, the state government has not taken any steps to revive them and ensure drinking water to rural people. The Sri Sathya Sai Rural Drinking Water project is also at a standstill, he said.

Outlining his plans for infrastructure development, Kumar stated, ''I am committed to completing the stalled projects, building roads, and other infrastructure in the constituency.'' With sweat dripping down his face and his shirt completely drenched, Kumar enters another mud-plastered house, seeking votes with folded hands.

''Vote for BJP, Vote for Kutami (grand alliance),'' he says, while his supporters, holding a dummy Electronic Voting Machine, create awareness among the residents about which button they should press on May 13.

Asked if the summer heat will dampen the voter turnout, Kumar said the last elections were held around this time, and when people are coming out to welcome him in this heat, they would definitely not miss voting on the day.

He also exuded confidence that the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance will sweep the assembly polls.

''Based on my assessment, the alliance will emerge victorious in this election. The BJP will contribute its votes to the TDP, which has a strong regional presence.'' Sitting YSR Congress MLA Kethireddy Venkata Rami Reddy is seeking a second term from this seat. Congress has fielded Rangana Aswartha Narayana. Elections to 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state will be held on May 13.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)