Polling in the by-election for the Nandyal Assembly seat in Kurnool district went off peacefully by and large, barring some stray incidents.
Till 5 pm in the evening, 77.66% of the voters had exercised their franchise, and there were people still standing in the queues, resulting in the total polling percent going up most likely to 82, Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal told the media. In the 2014 elections, 71% polling was registered here.
A police constable died while on poll duty, and an ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs was being given to his family, he announced.
Speculation is rife as to who would benefit from the large turnout of voters. YSR Congress Party leaders are expressing confidence that the high turnout would definitely help their candidates, as it shows antagonism for the ruling dispensation. The TDP however feels that the urban areas would vote for their candidate, and most of the high turnout was due to the turnout in the urban areas.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy, who won the seat in 2014 as a YSR Congress candidate but later switched over to the TDP in 2016.
The TDP has fielded Reddy's nephew Brahmananda Reddy, while the YSRCP put up former minister Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy, who lost the seat as a TDP nominee in 2014.
Though there are 15 candidates in the fray, the main fight is between the TDP and the YSRCP candidates.
The counting of votes will take place on August 28.