Medak LS By-Election To Witness Triangular Contest

The Medak Lok Sabha constituency is all set to witness a triangular contest between the TRS, the Congress and the BJP for the by-elections scheduled to be held on September 13.

While the TRS has fielded Sony Travels chairman Kotha Prabhakar Reddy as its candidate for the by-elections, the Congress has nominated former minister Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, and the BJP has fielded former Congress leader Toorpu Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy.

While Prabhakar Reddy was preferred over TNGOs President Devi Prasad, Sunitha's choice was almost unanimous. The BJP picked Jagga Reddy from among three possible candidates including Anji Reddy and Kasineni Gnaneshwar.

TRS candidate Prabhakar Reddy is new to politics. He is quite certain of his victory in the by-elections due to the dominance of the TRS in the entire Medak district. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had won the seat with a whopping majority of 397,029 votes, the highest in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He had secured 657,492 votes, while nearest rival, Dr P Shravan Kumar Reddy of the Congress, polled 260,463, and BJP nominee C Narendranath got 181,804 votes.

The TRS is confident of a repeat of the May general elections in the by-polls. All 7 Assembly segments falling under the Medak Lok Sabha seat were won by the TRS. While Chief Minister KCR himself represents Gajwel, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao was elected from Siddipet, Padma Devender Reddy from Medak, Ch Madhan Reddy from Narsapur, Chinta Prabhakar from Sangareddy, Gundam Mahipal Reddy from Patencheru and Ramalinga Reddy from the Dubbaka Assembly constituency.

Therefore, the TRS has an edge over the Congress and the BJP in the by-elections.

The Congress too is confident of Sunitha Lakshma Reddy's victory due to several factors. She had represented the Narasapur Assembly segment earlier, and still enjoys a strong hold in the Medak district. Likewise, Jagga Reddy is considered a strongman of Sangareddy. However, his opposition to the formation of Telangana during the statehood movement may go against him.

While the TRS will try to retain its position, the Congress will make all efforts to regain its lost ground, and the BJP will try hard to prove that its last-minute gamble of nominating Jagga Reddy was a right decision. Political analysts say that the Medak Lok Sabha by-elections will be an interesting contest with a long-term impact on the politics of Telangana. (INN)