Bhagath ready for David-Goliath fight

In an interview with Express on Monday, Bhagath said as the people elected his father in 2018 for a five year term, the remaining two years too should belong to TRS.
Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy campaigns for Nomula Bhagath for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll in the segment on Monday.
Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy campaigns for Nomula Bhagath for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll in the segment on Monday.

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With support of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) coupled with the sympathy factor following his father Nomula Narasimhaiah’s sudden demise, TRS candidate Nomula Bhagath is confident of winning from the Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly seat in the bypoll. Though Congress candidate and former Minister K Jana Reddy is a seasoned politician, Bhagath opined that Jana Reddy had done nothing for the segment during all these years. The bad condition of Panchayat Raj and Roads and Buildings roads in the segment clearly indicates Jana Reddy’s contribution to the segment, Bhagath felt. The 37-year-old Bhagath is now taking on 74-year-old Jana Reddy in the bypoll battle with a belief that his father Narasimhaiah’s affection towards people would help him emerge victorious. 

<strong>Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy campaigns for Nomula Bhagath for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll in the segment on Monday.</strong>
Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy campaigns for Nomula Bhagath for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll in the segment on Monday.

In an interview with Express on Monday, Bhagath said as the people elected his father in 2018 for a five year term, the remaining two years too should belong to TRS. “All the parties which contested in 2018 are in the fray again now. There is no change. I am confident that the people support me,” he said. 
Nomula Narasimhaiah won with a margin of about 8,000 votes against Jana Reddy in 2018. However, at that time, the Election Commission of India had allotted a truck symbol to an Independent candidate, who got around 9,000 votes. As the truck symbol will not be allotted this time, Bhagath is confident that the voters won’t get confused and the TRS would get a huge majority. Excerpts from the interview:

How is the response from the voters for your campaign?

The people are showing me the same love and affection that they extended to my father.

How many villages have you covered in the campaign so far?

There are a total of 180 panchayats and many more hamlets. I have covered two mandals till yesterday (Sunday) and started campaigning in the third mandal today.

What are the factors influencing the bypoll?

This is a bypoll necessitated due to the sudden death of my father. The people elected the TRS candidate for a five year term. So, the remaining two years too belong to the TRS. I am confident that the people will elect me for the remaining two year term too.
 
You are facing a seasoned politician like Jana Reddy, who has a positive image in the segment...
Visit any village in the segment and you will come to know that the roads were not developed in the segment during his long stints as an MLA and a Minister. Jana Reddy did nothing for the segment. But, my father Narasimhaiah is affectionate towards the public. The voters respected him. They are showing the same affection to me.

MC Kotireddy too aspired for a TRS ticket. Is he extending support to you in the bypoll?

Kotireddy has been with me during the campaign. He is supporting me.

Jana Reddy alleged that all TRS Ministers and workers are luring voters in the segment. How do you react to this?

As Jana Reddy could not explain what he did for the constituency to the voters, he is blaming the TRS. The Ministers and other senior TRS leaders are touring the segment just as other party workers and are campaigning for me. They are explaining the TRS government’s schemes and developmental works to the voters. That’s all. The TRS leaders are not terrorising the voters, as alleged by Jana Reddy.

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