NELLORE: Candidates of major political parties filed their nominations for the April 17 Tirupati Lok Sabha by-election on Monday. The last date for filing nominations is March 30. YSRC candidate Dr M Gurumoorthy filed two sets of nomination papers to returning officer KVN Chakradhar Babu at the Nellore Collectorate. BJP Jana Sena candidate K Ratna Prabha, Chinta Mohan of the Congress and Yadagiri of the CPM also filed their nomination papers on Monday.
In a show of strength, the ruling YSRC took out a huge rally from V R Circle to the Collectorate before filing the papers. Deputy Chief Minister P Narayana Swamy, ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, Adimulapu Suresh, Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Anilkumar Yadav, Perni Nani and Kodali Nani attended the rally. TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy, Venkatagiri legislator Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Sarvepalli legislator Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy, Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, Chief Whips Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and G Srikanth Reddy and Tirupati legislator Bhumana Karunakar Reddy also took part in the rally.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Peddireddy Ramachanra Reddy and TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy said people of the constituency were eagerly waiting for endorsing the welfare programmes of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government by giving a huge victory for party candidate Gurumoorthy. Earlier, YSRC Nellore district convener and Sarvepalli legislator Kakani Govardhan Reddy said that the TDP is frustrated because of the series of electoral defeats.
Addressing the media after filing his nomination, Chinta Mohan said that Tirupati Lok Sabha by-poll is going to decide the fate of the constituency. He said that both the YSRC and TDP have no strength to question the Centre. Speaking to reporters, BJP Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh accused the YSRC of indulging in large-scale violations in the recently-held local body elections in the State.
“We are going to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India on the atrocities of ruling YSRC during the local polls. The State government has been misusing its power. We will request the EC to conduct the bypoll in a free and fair manner,” he said.
Ratna Prabha urged people to vote for the development of the constituency, which, she said, is possible only if the BJP wins the by-election. Taking a dig at the YSRC candidate, the former IAS official said, “People have to select either a person who offered his service to the Chief Minister or a person who worked in public service for 40 years.” She alleged that 21 YSRC MPs are not raising their voice in Parliament for the State. To a query on the special category status, she said,“The SCS promise was made by the Congress. The BJP had announced a Special package to the State.”