Kurnool: Irrespective of which party wins the Nandyal bypoll on Monday, the result has the potential to alter the course of AP politics. The high voltage interest it has generated among Telugus worldwide has made the byelection a prestige issue for both the TD and the YSRC.
The bypoll showcased political power, wooing voters in the name of caste and religion and a crass display of wealth with huge amounts of money being pumped into the campaign.
Mr Vellala Srinivas, a New Jersey based NRI, who visited Nandyal during the campaign, said that US-based Telugu entrepreneurs and IT professionals were keenly following the campaign as the results would have a bearing on the long-term returns on their investment. He said they wanted to make a pitch to both the parties to keep their interests protected.
Former Union minister Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy said that he had never seen such bitterness in a byelection. He also said that though the Congress entered the fray late, the amount of interest shown by voters loyal to the party was significant. He said that what could have been a unanimous choice — in keeping with the tradition of giving the seat to a family member of the deceased legislator had turned out to be a bitter battle.
The election was necessitated by the death of Bhuma Nagi Reddy in March this year. The byelection will be remembered as the ‘mother of all battles’, said agriculture minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy.
Mr Buggana Rajendra Reddy, YSRC legislator and Public Accounts Commi-ttee chairman, said, “We forgot this was a byelection. The use of money power, muscle power and high decibel innuendos were unprecedented.” Film star R.K. Roja put it more succinctly. “The byelection had all the ingredients to make a blockbuster action-packed thriller.”
The game changer was the fiery speech made by YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on August 3, when he asked the public to ‘shoot Naidu’ for not keeping his poll promises.
This set off a string of accusations and counter-accusations resulting in the Election Commission registering a case against Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Another highlight was Mr Shilpa Mohan Reddy’s statement that he would quit politics if he loses.
On the day of the polls, August 23, there was a high voter turnout of nearly 80 per cent. The YSRC said it indicated a strong anti incumbency feeling, while the TD claimed that it showed support for the party.
