Women exhibit might in battle for ballet

From a ferocious warrior to a tenacious tactician ... from a hardcore ideologist and a quintessential native of the soil to greenhorns ... women of various qualities are in the fray for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state tomorrow and on April 26.

Giving little credence to the rumour that women are being given losing seats as a face-saving formula by political parties, there are a few women who have been exhibiting their might in the battle for the ballot.

Renuka Choudhary, the fire brand politician from the state, is finding electioneering a smooth affair in a straight contest with TDP's N Nageswara Rao and is all set to retain her Khammam seat.

Her victory moves closer to certainty with the Left parties, having a big chunk of votes, supporting Congress. The BJPhad earlier won the seat on many occasions by splitting the CPI and CPI(M) votes.

Purandareswari, daughter of former chief minister late NT Rama Rao, though a first timer, has been a major hit in Bapatla constituency. She is taking on movie magnet D Rama Naidu putting the caste, group and party equations into disarray.

The tactical move by the Congress has forced Rama Naidu, who is trying hard to retain the seat, to spend huge sums on advertisements ever since his rival's name was announced, though polls in Bapatla would be held on April 26.

Panabaka Lakshmi is the other Congress candidate, who is making her right moves against BJP nominee K Balakondiah and appears to have an edge in Nellore, the home district of BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu.

Sobha Nagi Reddy of TDP will be taking on industrialist SPY Reddy of Congress in Nandyal Lok Sabha seat, which she swapped with her husband who will be contesting from Allagadda Assembly seat. The result will, however, depend on how many votes they poll in the seven Assembly segments, including Giddaluru in Prakasham district.

Suguna Kumari of TDP is giving the old war horse G Venkatswami of Congress a run for his money in the Peddapalli constituency, which she wrested from him. "Kaka", as the veteran Congress leader is called, "has to take 'sanyas' at least now," say some of the TDP supporters.

Suguna Kumari, who rose to the level of member of Parliament from an ordinary party worker, has been intensely campaigning in Karimnagar and Adilabad districts which is also a hotbed for naxalites. There are some featherweights too in the fray like K Krupa Rani of Congress, who is testing the voters pulse against a strong candidate like K Yerran Naidu in Srikakulam.

The battle for attrition in Bobbili, a former princely state which has seen wars, defections and betrayals, B Jhansi of Congress will be taking on K Pyditalli Naidu and the result will rely mostly on the number of votes independent candidate P Jagan Mohan Rao will get and from which camp.

One of the most prominent women candidates who is making her presence felt in the Assembly polls is K Pratibha Bharati, who is all set to retain her Etcherla seat in Srikakulam district. She has been winning the seat since 1983.

In Shyampet, Konda Surekha of Congress has an edge over her BJP rival Premendra Reddy, but rebel candidates are in the fray to disrupt calculations.

Senior Congress leader G Kuthuhalamma is facing O Chandrmma of TDP at Vipenjari, while tribal welfare minister Mani Kumari is facing her old rival C Balaraju in Paderu.