Hyderabad: The Telugu Desam has conquered Kadapa winning the MLC seat under the local authorities’ quota and has proved that the district is no longer the YSR family bastion.
Twenty-three MLC seats fell vacant in the Legislative Council due to retirement of members under various categories, including two under the Governor's quota. The Governor will be nominating two candidates based on the recommendation of the government.
Under the MLA quota, of seven seats, the TD won five, including the one won by AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh. YSRC won two unanimously.
Under the local authorities, TD won six unanimously in Anantapur, two in West Godavari, one in East Godavari, one in Srikakulam and one in Chittoor. The YSRC could field candidates only in Nellore, Kadapa and Kurnool for which the results were announced on Monday and all three were won by the TD.
Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who played a key role in the defeat of Y.S. Vijayalakshmi from Visakhapatnam in the Lok Sabha polls, was also in charge of the Kadapa MLC polls, where another member of the YSR family was defeated.
Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy also known as ‘B.Tech Ravi’ won by a margin of 33 votes against Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. An elated Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the party will win all MLA seats in Kadapa, including Pulivendula, in the next general election.
In Kurnool, TD candidate Shilpa Chakrapani Reddy beat his rival Gowru Venkata Reddy of the YSRC by 43 votes. The victory was made easy by the death of party leader Bhuma Nagi Reddy, who was at loggerheads with Mr Chakrapani as the latter had opposed his re-entry into the party.
In Nellore, TD candidate Vakati Narayana Reddy defeated Anam Vijaya Kumar Reddy of the YSRC by 85 votes. Minister K Narayana played a key role in the victory of the TD candidate here.
AP TD president Kala Venkata Rao said: “The TD is gaining big in Rayalaseema. We will focus further on Kadapa.” The YSRC meanwhile played down the victories of the TD. YSRC MLA R.K. Roja said, “TD has spent around Rs 300 crore to win three MLC seats. TD bought local authorities voters like cattle in a shandy. They are shamelessly celebrating the victory.”
YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the TD won despite not having a majority in all the three constituencies where the polls were held. “Chandrababu has proved to be an expert in horse trading and has lured YSRC members with currency,” he alleged.
