Dubbaka bypoll to see triangular contest as nominations close

Hyderabad: As many as 34 nominations were filed for the Dubbaka by-poll on the scheduled last day for nominations. In all 83 nominations including a big number of independents were received.

However, the number of candidates left in the fray will be a lesser number as some candidates have filed nominations twice or thrice. Scrutiny of nominations will be done on October 17 (Saturday).

The by-poll is being billed as a triangular fight between Solipeta Sujatha (TRS), who is the wife of deceased MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy, Cheruku Srinivas Reddy (Congress), and M Raghunandan Rao (BJP).

TRS is banking on sympathy vote for Sujatha to romp home. She will have to resist a tough fight from Cheruku Srinivas Reddy( son of Cheruku Muthyam Reddy), who was with TRS until a few days ago. After being denied the party ticket, he switched loyalties towards Congress after the national party agreed to field him in the election.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao had a distinct advantage of having entered the battle field much earlier. Even before the Election Commission announced the poll dates, Raghunandan extensively toured the constituency and appealed to voters in villages to give him one chance and see for themselves what good work he could do. The BJP leader told the voters that he would have just three years term as next elections are due in 2023. In case he fails to fulfill their promises in these three years, Raghunandan asked them not to vote for him again in 2023 elections. On the other hand, TRS is campaigning that if people vote for the BJP candidate, power meters will be fixed on agriculture pumpsets, which is an anti-farmer decision. Dubbaka by-poll is slated for November 3 and counting of votes will be conducted on November 10.