Parties keep fingers crossed as Nandyal goes to polls today

Kurnool: The Nandyal Assembly byelection has shaped up to be an all-out battle between the ruling TDP and Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and is expected to set the tone for the 2019 general elections.

With the conclusion of byelection campaigning on Monday evening, the Election Commission has issued strict orders that outsiders should not stay in town and must vacate the place with immediate effect.

It has also prohibited persons talking in groups comprising three to four at one place. The leaders of the concerned parties stationed at the surrounding places of Nandyal like Panyam, Ahobilam, Bethamcherla, Allagadda, Banaganapalli and other nearby areas are however said to be lobbying with the voters to cast their vote to their party symbol.

Over the past few weeks, TDP and opposition YSRCP had proceeded with their high-pitched campaigns for the Wednesday’s byelection, with both parties leaving no stone unturned, as the Nandyal seat has also become a matter of prestige for them. The result would be seen not only as a verdict on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s governance, but also as a precursor to the 2019 general elections for the TDP and YS Jaganmohan Reddy for the YSRCP.

The Nandyal seat fell vacant when sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy died of a cardiac arrest in March. Having won on an YSRCP ticket in the 2014 general elections, he defected to the TDP about a year ago along with his daughter and Allagadda MLA Bhuma Akhila Priya, who is the state minister for culture and tourism at present.

In this byelection, Shilpa Mohan Reddy will be contesting against a new entrant, 25-year-old Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy from the TDP, who is the cousin of the tourism minister, Bhuma Akhila Priya. “In the last few weeks, the TDP government has started development projects worth over Rs 200 crore in the Assembly constituency alone.

The Chief Minister has taken the byelection very seriously. Our MLAs and cabinet ministers have been stationed at Nandyal for almost a month for the campaign. We have high chances of winning but majority is a matter of concern,” said TDP district unit president Somisetty Venkateswarlu.

YSRCP district convener Gouru Venkata Reddy expressed confidence that his party will win the seat without any doubt.
He said that Jaganmohan Reddy has undertaken a 13-day campaign for the byelection till the last date of campaign.
“We had very good response from all sections of people and there is no doubt about winning the seat. About 20 party MLAs had participated in the campaigning,” Gouru Venkata Reddy added.