Regional parties play key role in Badvel bypoll

Kadapa: Regional parties and independent candidates will play a major role in the byelection held for Badvel reserved constituency on Saturday.

As many as 13 independents against total of 16 candidates are in the fray and the main opposition TDP and Jana Sena Party(JSP) opted not to contest the byelection in line with its party tradition of supporting the family members of deceased MLA G Venkatasubbaiah of ruling YSR Congress party.

This kind of political scenario will indirectly help to shift votes either in favour of major political parties in the race or None of the Above(NOTA) which reflects displeasure over BJP-led NDA government.

With just 48 hours left for counting of votes, the YSRCP, Congress and BJP candidates are busy in calculating the majority and difference of votes in the elections.

Especially this kind of situation is witnessing in a triangular contest. YSRCP which has secured 44,734 votes majority on its TDP rival Obulapuram Rajasekhar in 2019 elections, taken Badvel bypoll as prestigious one expecting more than 1 lakh votes majority in triangular fray following the TDP, JSP opted not to contest the poll and 13 independent candidates in the race.

Meanwhile the BJP which has lost deposits by securing just 6,000 votes in 2019 elections, expecting to increase its base by securing some part of TDP votes bank, which won 4 times in election from Badvel constituency.

Congress which has a great history of winning 6 times from Badvel appears to remain as a mute spectator in the current elections and totally depends on its traditional vote bank. While TDP hopes its votes may be shifted to NOTA or BJP.