Hyderabad: After the rigorous campaign in Huzurnagar assembly by-election, the battle between the ruling TRS and Congress awaits on Monday.
Telangana Rastra Samiti (TRS) has fielded Saidi Reddy in Huzurnagar while the Congress has fielded Uttam Kumar Reddy’s wife N Padmavati Reddy, who is a former MLA.
The bypoll, the first after last year’s assembly polls in Telangana, has been necessitated due to the resignation of state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy following his election to the Lok Sabha.
Kiranmai from Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Kota Rama Rao from BJP will also contest the elections.
While a total of 28 candidates are in the field from Huzurnagar, the main contest is between the Congress and the TRS party.
In the last assembly elections of 2018, TRS candidate Saidi Reddy lost to Congress candidate Uttam Kumar Reddy by 7,466 votes. The bypoll is crucial for TRS to reaffirm its dominance in state politics as the party had suffered unexpected losses in the Lok Sabha polls.
After a notification for by-election was issued, the TRS announced the candidate and started their campaign. MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy was appointed as an in-charge of the constituency. Party working president KT Rama Rao organized a road show and tried to quell the opposition with his punch dialogues.
However, the election to Huzurnagar is being seen differently this time. As soon as the notification was issued, the local Superintendent of Police was transferred and appointed as the new superintendent. It also appointed a special observer for the by election. The Election Commission is also vigilant. The Election Commission has also allocated the symbols like road roller, truck and auto rickshaw, similar to the TRS election symbol ‘car’. TRS felt that these symbols are cause to defeat of their party in the last election.
With a large number of its leaders shifting to TRS in the last several years, the TDP has been reduced to the margins in the state, though it managed to win two constituencies in the Assembly polls last year.
The TRS is banking heavily on the welfare and development programmes of its government. The TRS campaign has been spearheaded by state minister G Jagadish Reddy and other TRS leaders.
The Congress campaign was led by Uttam Kumar Reddy and the party’s working president. MP A Revanth Reddy, a popular leader, has also campaigned for his party on Friday.
Uttam Kumar Reddy is confident that the people of Huzurnagar, who have been crowned three times, will definitely get a majority of 30 thousand this time.
TRS, which had previously criticized Communists as tail parties, this time sought the support of the Communist Party of India-CPI in Huzurnagar elections. The CPI has agreed to support the ruling party but it has withdrawn its support in protest of RTC strike in the state.
Meanwhile, the mood of voters look mixed. "We have given chance thrice to Uttam Kumar Reddy. This time will give vote to Saidi Reddy.” A voter of Huzurnagar told News18.
Another voter Madhavi said, “In the past, Uttam Kumar Reddy has developed the constituency. This time too, we will vote for him.”
“In the last assembly elections, Uttam had sought vote by saying he will become Chief Minister if congress comes to power. He won as an MP in the Lok Sabha election by saying he will become union minister if Congress comes to power. Nothing could happen and there is no chance in near future,” Banda Rajeshwar said.
However, the party that won the Huzurnagar three times, the battle on the other side of the ruling party looks breathtaking.
There are criticisms that the Congress and BJP have worked together in the by elections. KT Rama Rao has also alleged that in the campaign that the BJP and the Congress making collude politics to with political insolvency.
Polling would be held on October 21 and counting, on October 24.
Comments
0 comment