Elections 2014: Congress leader Pallam Raju finishes third in Kakinada

RAJAHMUNDRY (AP): Union Minister and Congress leader M M Pallam Raju finished a poor third in Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency, from where he had been elected three times in the past.

Raju, who vehemently opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, had won this seat in coastal AP in 1989, 2004 and 2009 but fared badly this time around, getting swept aside by a strong anti-Congress wave in the region.

Raju secured only 19,754 votes in Kakinada, which was won by TDP candidate and former State Minister Thota Narasimham, who bagged 5,14,402 ballots. YSRCP candidate Chalamasetty Sunil came second, obtaining 5,10,972 votes.

Raju hails from a family which had been for long associated with the Congress. His grandfather Mallipudi Pallam Raju was a freedom fighter and an MLA. He served as a Minister in N Sanjiva Reddy's Cabinet and was also PCC chief.

His father M Sriram Sanjeeva Rao was elected three times to the Lok Sabha, in 1971, 1977 and 1980. He served as a Union Minister in 1982-84.

He was elected from Ramachandrapuam Assembly segment to Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly in 1970.