In a historic Andhra Pradesh 2024 electoral victory, TDP candidate Madhavi Reddappagari triumphed over Amzath Basha Shaik Bepari, ending three decades of continuous Muslim representation in the Kadapa Constituency in Andhra Pradesh. This significant win marks her as the first female MLA elected from Kadapa, setting a new precedent in the Rayalaseema region’s political landscape.
The 49 years old Madhavi Reddappagari, contesting for the TDP and representing the Alliance (TDP-Janasena-BJP), received 90,988 votes, outnumbering the sitting YSRCP MLA Amzath Basha Shaik Bepari, who received 72,128 votes with a 37.86 per cent vote share. Congress candidate T.K. Afzal Ali Khan lagged with 24,500 votes, accounting for 12.86 per cent of the vote.
The victory has sparked reactions across the political spectrum. Amjed Ullah Khan of Hyderabad-based Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) criticized the Congress for fielding a Muslim candidate against the sitting Muslim MLA from YSRCP, attributing this decision to the electoral loss.
Congress party played a "Shakuni Mama" role in Andhra Pradesh politics by putting up muslim candidates against sitting Muslim MLA's, See the result of Amzath Basha of YSRCP who lost to Madhavi Reddappa Gari of TDP by just 18860 votes where as the Congress Candidate T K Afzal Ali… pic.twitter.com/KfquGHO0gg
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) June 6, 2024
In the recent past, Kadapa district witnessed movement of Islamic radical elements linked to terrorists cases. On 2, March , 2024, National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Abdul Saleem, the state secretary of Telanana North, who was absconding in the Nizamabad PFI Case.
NIA Arrests Absconding Chargesheeted Accused in Nizamabad PFI Case pic.twitter.com/vLwbgwBvjE
— NIA India (@NIA_India) March 2, 2024
In 2021, the local Muslims in Kadapa attempted to erect the status of Tipu Sultan.
#NewsAlert | #AndhraPradesh: #BJP leaders protest against #YSRCP workers' decision to hold 'Bhumi Pujan' for the erection of Tipu Sultan's statue in Kadapa.
Sowmith with details. pic.twitter.com/7oeQVVMArN
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 27, 2021
Complaint filed against unauthorized installation of Tipu Sultan statue in Kadapa District, AP @TheCommuneMag@CollectorKadapahttps://t.co/yloZM5tPX8
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) June 19, 2021
As per Centre for South Indian Studies report published in 2023, K. Sivananda Reddy, elected from the Congress party in 1989, was the last Hindu MLA of the Kadapa Assembly Constituency. Since then, the seat was held by Muslim candidates, including Dr. S.A. Khaleel Basha from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the 1994 and 1999 elections, Ahamadulla Mohammad Syed from Congress in 2004 and 2009, and Amzath Basha Shaik Bepari from YSRCP in 2014 and 2019.
The report also highlights that Guntur East constituency in the state, is also being represented Muslim candidates for the past 37 years. In the 1983 assembly elections, NT Rama Rao of the Telugu Desam Party offered an MLA ticket to Umar Khan Pathan, and he won that election. Since then, it has become a trend for the main political parties like Congress and TDP to offer tickets to candidates from the Muslim community.
In the 2009 assembly elections, the newly formed Praja Rajyam Party by Telugu cine actor Chiranjeevi, and brother of Pawan Kalyan, adopted the same policy. Like Congress and TDP, their party also fielded a Muslim candidate in the election. In the 2014 election, Maddala Giridhar Rao contested from TDP but was defeated by Mustafa Sheikh of YCP by a narrow margin. The Janasena party, formed in 2019, has also fielded a Muslim candidate in this constituency. Indira Congress candidate Lingamshetty Ishwar Rao, who won against Janata Party candidate Abdullah Khan Mohammad in 1978, is still remembered by the people as the last Hindu MLA of Guntur East Constituency.
Despite this shift in Kadapa, Guntur East continues to be represented by Muslim MLA, with Mohammed Naseer Ahmed from Guntur securing his seat as the Muslim candidate in 2024 TDP’s winning list. Additionally, M. Shajahan Basha from Madanapalli constituency also won, making TDP’s total Muslim representation in the house two MLAs in the current Assembly.
In Andhra Pradesh TDP -Janasena -BJP Kootami/ alliance won the 2024 assembly elections with a historic mandate of 164 seats out of 175, leaving YSRCP with just 11 seats in Assembly.
