HYDERABAD: The upcoming byelection in the Nalgonda district, the third in the last four years, is keeping the authorities on their toes. Two of these bypolls were necessitated due to the resignation of Congress MLAs.Even as Nalgonda is considered a stronghold of Congress, the two byelections held in 2019 and 2021 have already exposed the cracks within Congress. Now, the impending election has put a lot of pressure on the beleaguered grand old party to show its strength.
In the Huzurnagar and Nagarjuna Sagar by-polls held earlier, top Congress leaders — former Minister Kunduru Jana Reddy and wife of former TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy — lost to TRS candidates. These were supposedly the strongest candidates in the party. However, the poll debacle was inevitable.
Now, the Congress has fielded veteran leader Palvai Govardhan Reddy’s daughter in the constituency where he has won five times. “This time, the Congress is investing all of its prowess to win the election,” said a senior Congress leader. After the first two byelections held in the district, the Congress alleged the ruling party leaders were indulging in corruption and horsetrading of their leaders.
Debacle exposes cracks within party ranks
Even as Nalgonda is considered a stronghold of Congress, the two byelections held in 2019 and 2021 have already exposed the cracks within Congress. Now, the impending election has put a lot of pressure on the beleaguered grand old party to show its strength.