Nandyal by-polls: TDP wins seat by huge margin, celebrates

Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has won the Nandyal by-polls, by a thumping margin - 27,466 votes.

In the anticipation of the general elections in 2019, both the TDP and the YSRCP were at full throttle to gain the trust of people of the state.

While opposition leader and YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy left no stone unturned to take jibes at Naidu and called the by-polls and its result a referendum of the TDP government, the ruling party, however, showed confidence of winning the constituency with Naidu taking the front seat as far as the campaigning is concerned.

Hence, in a bid to outdo each other, the TDP and the YSRCP went all out during the election campaign.

Celebrating near Naidu's residence, the TDP MLAs said that people have voted for the pro-development agenda set by the Chief Minister.

Naidu, quite elated at the victory, said, "People have again shown confidence and trust in development, welfare and good governance. We will continue our development and welfare activities."

"The same results will be seen in future also. The voters have rejected the vicious and hate speech politics," he added.

It is the first by-polls after three years ever since the state was formed back in 2014 and also after 2014 General Elections.

The small constituency, which falls under Kurnool district of Rayalseema region of the state, originally belonged to the YSRCP.

Bhuma Nagi Reddy died on March 12, 2017 after suffering a massive heart attack at his home in Allagadda, while serving as an MLA from Nandyal.

It was said that there would have been no elections in such cases of death, but YSRCP did not "followed the tradition" so the contest became inevitable.

Allegations of corruption against YSRCP government and party leader Jaganmohan Reddy's comments "to hang and shoot the CM Chandrababu in middle of the road" stirred controversies and are said to have a "negative" impact on his image and hence, could have served as the reasons for the party's loss.

In the last election of this constituency, the majority of winning party won by merely 3,000 votes. But this time it is said that the Nandyal Elections turned out to be one sided win from the beginning.

Reddy campaigned for nearly fifteen days, while many key veteran politicians in the party shifted their base to Nandyal for two weeks.

It is also a jolt for Election Strategist Prasanth Kishor who had entered into a pact with Reddy for the 2019 elections.

Earlier on Wednesday, voting was held under unprecedented security for the Nandyal by-elections.