TN And Kalicharla Families’ Fight For Tamballapalle

Kothakota (Chittoor) :Tambalapalle is best known for being a drought-prone region, people migrating for work is a common sight in the place. All this is just one side of the coin, the other side is rampant with political rivalry among the two clans, which has claimed many lives.

During every election, people are gripped in fear as to what is going to happen, and many people have lost their lives in gang rivalries to secure dominance over the place.

The political rivalry which was rampant in 1980–90 has had a bad impact on the lives of people. The standards of living had not been made better and the number of working opportunities had come down. This is a place that has also witnessed the People’s war movement and Naxalite movement.

Tamballapalle holds a significant place in history, this place has seen leaders, who controlled people with a mere glance. The fights for power were seen in the bordering areas with Karnataka, Anantapuram and YSR Kadapa.

In 1952, the first constituency was formed with Gattu as the centre in B Kothakota.

Again in 1955 with Peddamandyam, Tambalapalle, Mulakachervu, Pedda Thippa Samudram, and five mandals from B Kothakota were made into a constituency with Tamabalapalle as the centre.

In 2009, reorganization of Kurabalakota mandal from Madanapalle, six remaining panchayats in B Kothakota mandal had been added to Tambalapalle constituency.

TN and Kalicharla are two families fighting for power. the fight began in 1952 and ran till 2004.

TN family also holds the record of winning the both MLA seat and Rajampet MP seat unanimously.

TN Ramakrishna Reddy from the family had been elected as the MLA in erstwhile Madras state. Later the members from the family got elected as MP for one term and MLA for five terms.

TN family and Kalicharla had won seats running independently.

In 1983, When the whole state was witnessing NT Rama Rao’s wave, in Tambalapalle, TN Srinivasulu Reddy won as an independent.

In 1978 Avula Mohan Reddy, a common man with no political background won on the Congress ticket. Again in 1985, AV Lakshmidevamma from the Anipireddi Venkata family won the constituency for two terms and his son Praveen Kumar Reddy once. However, both the families have kept away from active politics from 2014.

In 1980–90 decade Naxalism was rampant in the constituency. People's war activities took birth in this place. A Dharma ghanta (bell of justice) was established in the Annagaripalle in the Tamballapale mandal. If someone rings the bell, Naxalites would visit the area in the night and sort out their issue. 13 people were killed in a fight between the Naxalites and their rivals over a piece of land. The series of murders took place when the farmers and farm labourers coordination committee was established in Choudasamudram. In the attacks by Naxals did along with the poor persons from Choudasamudram three people were killed.

LV Ramana, Kishtappa from Kalicharla, Ramakrishna Reddy from Malluruvandlapalle had worked as secretaries of people’s war.

Later Kisthappa became the Rayalaseema secretary. Another member from people's war movement Vema Narayana Reddy came out of people’s war and started his own outfit called People’s war Vimuktipatham.

In 1984, Kondapalle Sitaramaiah had attended the war plenary held near Tambalapalle.

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