October 21is likely to become a turning point in the history of Telangana politics with the Election Commission announcing dates for the bypoll in the constituency.
Though, the ruling TRS is trying to clinch the seat from the Congress and spring a surprise, the national ruling party, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to grab the seat, the bastion of grand old party. The TRS has already announced Saidi Reddy as the candidate for the seat, while a war of words between the senior leaders of Congress is reflecting that party’s mood in the wake of by-elections.
During December 2018 general elections, the PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy has retained the seat by defeating TRS’ Saidi Reddy. But subsequently, the PCC chief contested the Lok Sabha election as the nominee of Congress from Nalgonda parliament seat and emerged victorious.
It prompted Uttam Kumar Reddy to tender his resignation as Huzurnagar MLA. Uttam’s spouse Padmavathi Reddy, who was an MLA from Kodad segment of the erstwhile Nalgonda district, lost the general elections to the TRS’ Bollam Mallaiah Yadav.
Following this, the PCC chief announced that his wife, Padmavathi Reddy would contest the seat on Congress ticket. However, Malkajgiri MP and Congress party working president A Revanth Reddy triggered a controversy and differed with PCC chief’s statements.
Meanwhile, the BJP on the other hand is moving its pans in a more systematic manner and its leadership is keen on entering into the south Telangana, the bastion of Congress with the aid of leaders like Komatireddi Rajagopal Reddy.
Though the Munugode MLA of Congress has not yet joined the BJP officially, he is likely to become the central ruling party trump card in the by elections. The BJP is taking this election as a serious challenge and it is even considering the option of choices of Rajagopal Reddy for fielding the party nominee.
The name of defeated MLC at the local body elections, Rajagopal Reddy’s wife Lakshmi Reddy was also doing rounds as the BJP nominee from the Huzurnagar segment. During the 2018 Assembly polls, Congress nominee Uttam Kumar Reddy secured 92,996 votes while the TRS’ Sanampudi Saidireddi secured 85,530 votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate Bobba Bhagya Reddy secured a mere 1,555 votes.
CPM and NOTA polled more votes than that of BJP nominee during that polls but this time, the party is banking on what the leaders term the abrogation of Article 370 issue and other positive aspects of BJP for wresting the seat from Congress and as also from the ruling TRS.