KADAPA: All arrangements have been made for the high voltage Pulivendula and Vontimitta ZPTC byelections on Tuesday, which are considered to be a prestigious battle for the YSRCP and TDP.
Pulivendula Rural ZPTC falls within the home constituency and home mandal of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, making it politically significant for the YSRCP. On the other hand, TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has taken the election as a challenge to dent the YSRCP’s dominance in the region, especially in Pulivendula-long considered a fortress of the YSR family.
The campaign, marked by intense rhetoric and counter-criticism, saw ministers, MLAs, MLCs, and senior leaders from both parties go door-to-door, creating an election atmosphere similar to an Assembly poll. Vontimitta ZPTC too has drawn fierce campaigning from all major parties.
In Pulivendula, the YSRCP has fielded Tummala Hemant Reddy, while TDP is represented by M Latha Reddy, wife of Pulivendula TDP incharge BTech Ravi. The Congress has fielded Shiva Kalyan, while seven independents are also in fray. In Vontimitta, YSRCP’s Eragam Reddy Subba Reddy is taking on TDP’s Muddu Krishna Reddy with Vijay Bhaskar being the Congress candidate, along with 8 independents.
Pulivendula rural comprises six gram panchayats with 10,601 eligible voters, while Vontimitta has 13 gram panchayats with 24,606 voters. Voting will be held from 7 am to 5 pm through ballot boxes.
Given the high political stakes and previous law and order incidents, authorities have identified 15 critical polling stations in Pulivendula and 10 in Vontimitta. These will be monitored with CCTV cameras, drones, and webcasting. Micro-observers will be deployed where webcasting is unavailable.
Under the supervision of Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen and District SP EG Ashok Kumar, a total of 1,400 police personnel will be on duty. Pulivendula will have over 700 police officers, including four APSP platoons and AR forces, while Vontimitta will have more than 500. Each route will be monitored by a DSP, with special teams led by CI and SI rank officers at every polling station. Counting of votes will be held on August 14 at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Kadapa.