Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah expressed happiness over the victory of Congress in the Tekkali Assembly by-polls and said the result would keep YSR’s soul happy.
“Despite the inducements offered by other parties, people reposed their faith in the Congress,” said Rosaiah, who took over the reins of the state after the death of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, in a recent helicopter crash.
PCC president D. Srinivas said the by-election victory came under tough circumstances for the Congress.
“Opposition parties sought to take advantage of our situation as we were in deep grief following the death of YSR. Still, people voted for us,” he said.
YSR’s son and MP Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy also thanked Tekkali voters for ensuring the party’s win.
Commenting on the outcome, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) attributed the victory to sympathy factor.
In separate statements, they pointed out that K. Bharati, who won, was widow of K Revatipathi who was elected from Tekkali in April this year. YSR’s death also generated sympathy votes, they said.
Bharati won by 7,173 votes over Kinjarapu Atchannaidu (TDP), brother of former Union Minister K. Yerran Naidu.
The Congress candidate polled 59,250 votes as against the TDP’s 52,077. The PRP candidate, Duvvada Srinivas, secured only 17,858 votes and lost the deposit.
