Even as record 80% polling in Nandyal Assembly by poll has left the two major rival parties Telugu Desam and YSRCP nervous, the rising tension in the constituency took a violent turn on Thursday.
A day after the peaceful polling Nandyal town was rocked by an incident of firing. Police said incident occurred when a group of YSRCP workers attacked a TDP leader A Madhu’s car outside a hotel on Thursday.
In retaliation the gunman of Madhu opened fire to beat back the assailants. later the police rushed to the scene and used force to dispel the rival groups.
Both the parties have blamed each other for the incident. YSRCP MlA Srikant Reddy blamed the incident on the local police. He questioned how a ruling party leader was allowed to go around with a gun when election code of conduct was still enforced in the constituency. “Madhu is a rowdy sheeter. Police not only allowed him to keep gun but when the firing took place policemen ran away", he said.
But TDP leader and Minister Akhila Priya said that the YSRCP worker were responsible for the violence as they attacked the TDP leader. "Fearing defeat in the by-election they are resorting to violence", she said. Meanwhile near 80% polling in Nandyal yesterday has left the two main rival on the edge of the seat as the huge turnout can take the result anyway. While YSRCP leaders were upbeat over larger turnout, TDP leaders say that the turnout will go in their favour. "
Our victory margin will be higher than earlier expected", said TDP campaign manager and minister S Chandramohan Reddy.
While TDP was banking on the conventional wisdom that the ruling party wins the by election, the YSRCP leaders interpret the huge turnout as a vote against the ruling party.
People’s Plus, a hyderabad baad organization has in its prepoll survey forecast a YSRCP win. YSRCP was expected to get 48.3 votes against 45.6 for the TDP,it said.
YSRCP leaders were expecting a majority of 10000 to 15000 votes for its candidate Silpa Mohan Reddy.
The seat had fallen vacant due to sudden death of Venkat Bhuma Nagi Reddy. The byelection became a battle of prestige as Nagi Reddy had won Nandyal on YSRCP ticket but later defected to TDP.
The suspense will end when EVMs will be opened on August 28.