Though there are 13 candidates in the fray for the Tirupati Assembly segment by-election scheduled to be held on Feb. 13, all eyes are on TDP’s M. Suguna and R.Sreedevi of the Congress.
The TDP’s campaign is on a feverish pitch and the campaign vehicle specially developed for the purpose has already hit the roads. With a typical yellow tinge, representing the TDP’s colour, the vehicle has an image of M. Suguna at the bonnet, flanked by those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. While former MLA M.Venkatramana, TDP scion Nara Lokesh and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan were prominently displayed, the entire body of the vehicle appeared ‘crowded’ with the images of Mministers B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, Yanamala Ramakrushnudu and P.Narayana, ex-ministers G. Muddukrishnama Naidu and Galla Aruna, former MLA Ch. Krishnamurthy and district Secretary G.Srinivasulu, as if to ‘accommodate’ all sections.
Meanwhile, the Congress candidate R.Sreedevi is busy campaigning in the streets and lanes, occasionally accompanied by former MP Chinta Mohan and DCC President K.Venugopal Reddy. Most district leaders have abstained from the campaign, as they are unhappy over denial of the party ticket to Mabbu Devanarayana Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested in vain in 2014. “We expected him to be given ticket, for he took the plunge last year knowing fully well the bleak prospects, but to no avail”, says City Congress president P. Nagabhushanam. Several senior leaders contacted by The Hindu did not want to go on record on their anguish over the party high command’s decision.
‘Voter slips’
Meanwhile, steps were being taken to give ‘voter slips’ to all eligible voters by Feb. 5, much ahead of the by-election slated to be held on Feb 13. Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal, in a video-conference with the district officials instructed District Electoral Officer Siddharth Jain, expenditure observe R.Nanda Kumar, urban SP Gopinath Jatti and Returning Officer V.Veerabrahmaiah to initiate steps to not only conduct the elections in a free and fair manner, but also ensure order on the polling day.
