Live : Aruku Assembly Election 2023

The second largest constituency in the country, Araku constituency, voted on April 11 along with 24 other constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. The Araku constituency consists of Palakonda, Kurupam, Paravathipuram, Salur, Araku valley, Paderu and Rampachodavaram assembly segments. Araku Lok Sabha seat is reserved for the candidates belonging to scheduled tribes except the Paravathipuram assembly seat which is reserved for scheduled caste candidate.

In 2019 general elections, YSR Congress Party, is fielding Goddeti Madhavi as its candidate from the Araku seat. Last time, first-time politician Kothapalli Geetha had won the seat. While YSR Congress got 4,13,191 votes, TDP candidate Gummidi Sandhyarani got 3,21,793 votes. 

In one of the rare instances, father-daughter duo will be seen contesting for the Araku seat this time. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has given ticket to Kishore Chandra Deo, a five-time elected MP from the Araku seat. In 2014 general election, he contested with a Congress ticket and was in the third position with total 52,884 votes.  Kishore Chandra Deo left Congress to join TDP in February 2019.

On the other hand, Congress has nominated Shruti Devi Vyricherla, daughter of Kishore Chandra Deo, for the Araku seat. Shruti Devi is a lawyer and social activist.

Among the 10 contenders are four independent candidates. Gangulaiah Vampuru is contesting with a Janasena Party ticket. 

Newly formed, Jana Jagruti Party, will be fielding Swamula Subrahamanyam as its contesting candidate from this seat. Dr Kosuri Kasi Viswanadha Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Reddy is among the key contestants nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).