HYDERABAD: Even before the votes cast in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections are counted, the attention of the public has turned towards the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates MLC byelection.
The three main parties in the state — Congress, BRS and BJP — are all treating the byelection as a matter of prestige. Leaders of all three parties have campaigned extensively across the constituency spread over erstwhile Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda districts.
As the votes are to be cast on May 27, the silence period began on Saturday. Though 52 candidates are in fray, the contest is expected to be between Ch. Naveen, better known as Teenmar Mallanna, of the Congress, A Rakesh Reddy of the BRS and G Premender Reddy of the BJP.
This is Teenmar Mallanna third, and Premender Reddy’s second election in this constituency. Both lost to Palla Rajeshwar Reddy of the BRS in 2021. However, Rajeshwar Reddy resigned from the Council after being elected to the Assembly from Jangoan, necessitating the byelection.
On the ground, the Congress has gone all-out to bag this seat as it is keen to show that unemployed youth and employees are with the party. For the BRS, a victory is crucial to show that it has not lost ground. Similarly, BJP wants to expand its base by winning this seat.
Congress, BRS and BJP leaders have extensively toured the constituency. Though BRS supremo and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not take part in the campaign, his son and party’s working president KT Rama Rao actively canvassed and addressed public meetings.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy too did not directly take part in the campaign but he did hold Zoom meetings with party leaders and gave them directions from time to time.
On the other hand, BJP state chief G Kishan Reddy addressed campaign meetings.