Before the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections, Pithapuram was just another name on the political map. But the moment Pawan Kalyan announced his candidacy from here, the entire narrative changed. The small coastal constituency suddenly turned into the political capital of Andhra politics.
Riding on an unstoppable NDA wave, Pawan Kalyan secured a record breaking victory margin of over 70000 votes, crushing his opponent Vanga Geetha of YSRCP. The result not only reshaped East Godavari politics but also made Pithapuram a symbol of Kalyan’s political rise.
Now, a year later, YCP’s Vanga Geetha has come forward revealing that Jagan Mohan Reddy has not moved on from that loss. Speaking recently, she said, “Jagan has formed committees from the central level down to mandals, focusing entirely on Pithapuram. He has sanctioned resources and support to rebuild YCP’s base here. We are determined to give a tough fight next time.”
Interestingly, even before the 2024 election, Jagan made every possible effort to win Pithapuram. He sent his close aide Midhun Reddy to oversee the campaign and manage the ground teams. Despite those efforts, the YCP camp was crushed in every round of counting.
Still, it appears Jagan is not ready to let go. He is said to be restructuring the party’s local setup, strengthening booth level committees, and focusing on reviving cadre morale. But given Pawan Kalyan’s growing influence from securing central funds to personally donating his MLA salary to orphaned children, turning the tide in Pithapuram might prove nearly impossible.
For now, it is clear that Pithapuram will remain a high stakes battlefield, with Jagan preparing a comeback strategy and Pawan continuing to expand his footprint.
Related