E-Paper
BJP slugs it out to give YSRCP a tough fight in Atmakuru assembly bypoll
While the BJP could bank on its political ally Jana Sena’s backing, it might also benefit from the tacit support of TDP, given the caste and other equations in the constituency.
The ruling YSR Congress Party is banking on “enormous goodwill” for the June 23 by-election to Atmakuru Assembly seat in SPS Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is determined to give it a tough fight.
Though there are 14 candidates in the fray, the contest is between the YSRC and the BJP. The Telugu Desam Party opted out of the bypoll contest.
While the BJP could bank on its political ally Jana Sena’s backing, it might also benefit from the tacit support of TDP, given the caste and other equations in the constituency.
The by-election has been caused due to the death of sitting legislator and then industries minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy in February.
Goutham Reddy won the Atmakuru seat twice in 2014 and 2019. His younger brother and YSRC nominee Mekapati Vikram Reddy is making a political debut through the bypoll.
“There is enormous goodwill for Mekapati family in Atmakuru. Goutham Reddy contributed significantly to the constituency development,” state civil supplies minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao noted.
The BJP has fielded Bharat Kumar Gundlapalli from Yadava community, a dominant force in the seat. The party has a sizeable base in Atmakuru, thanks to M Venkaiah Naidu, now the Vice-President.
“Atmakuru holds mirror to the regressive rule of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Lack of development is clearly evident. People are aggrieved due to lack of proper roads and drains. Farmers are in distress as they are unable to sell their produce at remunerative prices,” BJP state general secretary S Vishnuvardhan Reddy said. “Why dozens of MLAs and ministers are deployed in Atmakuru if the YSRC was so confident of win?”
