Glass symbol unnerves TDP, BJP candidates

Vizianagaram: Designation of glass symbol as free symbol has become a boon for independents as they hope to corner gullible supporters of Jana Sena Party if they can get the symbol. As expected, TDP and BJP are concerned over the allotment of glass symbol to independents by the Election Commission since it would divert Jana Sena Party votes to those independents who got the symbol.

The Election Commission is allotting glass symbol in places where JSP is not in fray.

The EC has given the symbol to independent candidates like Meesala Geetha (Vizianagaram), A Rajesh (Tekkali), R Subrahmanyam (Navataram Party-Mangalagiri), P Suryachandra (indipendent-Jaggampeta), Shajahan (indipendent-Madanapalli), V Vamsi Mohan (indipendent-Gannavaram) among others.

NDA partners are worried that glass symbol to non-JSP candidates will create confusion among the voters who may vote to independents mistaking them to be JSP candidate, instead of TDP or BJP candidates.

Difference of just a few votes will make or break a candidate, as proved in the past elections.

Malladi Vishnu (YSRCP) won against Bonda Umamaheswara Rao of TDP in Vijayawada Central seat in 2019 only with the majority of 25 votes. Even Rapaka Varaprasad (Razole-Jana Sena) won with 814 vote majority against Bonthu Rajeswara Rao (YSRCP).

Similarly, Ganta Srinivasa Rao (Visakha North-TDP) got elected with a margin of 1,944 votes against P Vishnu Kumar Raju of BJP.

In 2014 elections, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy (Mangalagiri-YSRCP) also won with 12 votes majority.

In the current elections, amid tight competition each and every vote counts in victory of candidates. Hence, the alliance parties are trying to minimise the impact of independent candidates with glass symbol. Meesala Geetha, a TDP rebel who is contesting as independent and allotted glass symbol, is likely to garner some votes in Vizianagaram constituency as she has some influence here due to her previous political position. She was the municipal chairperson and later become MLA from TDP during 2014-19.

She is in the fray as independent following denial of TDP ticket. If she gets around 5,000 votes with glass symbol, it would inflict a major damage on P Aditi Gajapathi Raju, the TDP candidate.

The TDP and BJP leaders all over the state are facing the same situation.