Poll campaigning for the by-election to Kamareddi Assembly constituency concluded on Friday evening. Barring a couple of sporadic violent incidents by and large electioneering in the constituency, which was once the citadel of naxals, passed off peacefully.
The three major political parties - Congress, TDP and TRS had carried out vigorous campaigning for their candidates. The TRS took it prestigiously, while its rival the TDP which fielded a new candidate Nittu Venugopal Rao succeeded in mobilising its party activists who were in utter confusion after Gampa Govardhan switched over to the TRS.
Considering the election as a litmus test for the future of their parties TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and TRS president K.Chandrasekhar Rao made all efforts to ensure victory for their candidates. The ruling Congress party put up a rare show of unity by bringing all leaders on one platform.
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K.T. Rama Rao, the TRS MLA and son of KCR, shouldered the responsibility of campaigning on behalf of Govardhan and camped all the 15 days in Kamareddi. He covered almost all villages and hamlets asking vote for the party. MP Vijayashanti conducted one-day campaign, while Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao addressed a well-attended election meeting on Thursday.
Mr. Naidu in his half-day campaign organised road shows and addressed road side meetings in all four mandals in the constituency. He concluded his campaign after addressing a public meeting in the town. His arrival boosted the morale of the party activists as they have been at crossroads following the Telangana agitation.
Congress nominee Yedla Raji Reddy filed nomination amid much pomp as the party bigwigs D. Srinivas, Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, Irrigation Minister P. Sudarshan Reddy, MP Suresh Shetkar and former Minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir attended. Mr. Shabbir conducted single handed campaign.
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All the leaders drew crowds and voters assertively said to each leader that they will vote for their party giving them lots of hope.