AP: All set for Atmakur bypoll on Thursday

Nellore: The ruling YSR Congress Party is confident of a big win in the by-election to the Atmakur Assembly seat to be held on Thursday. The campaigning for the bypoll ended on a high-note on Tuesday evening with both the YSRCP and the BJP holding huge rallies and road shows. However, the ruling party candidate […]

Nellore: The ruling YSR Congress Party is confident of a big win in the by-election to the Atmakur Assembly seat to be held on Thursday.

The campaigning for the bypoll ended on a high-note on Tuesday evening with both the YSRCP and the BJP holding huge rallies and road shows. However, the ruling party candidate Vikram Reddy starts as a strong favourite in the by-election which was necessitated due to the death of his elder brother Mekapati Gautham Reddy who was minister in the Jagan Cabinet.

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Senior YSR Congress leaders Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Balieni Srinivasulu Reddy and P Anil Kumar Yadav campaigned vigorously and urged the people to elect Vikram Reddy, saying that the Atmakur verdict will reflect the YS Jagan government’s sincerity, performance and good governance.

The BJP has entered the fray, as it had done in the Tirupati and Badvel by-elections, although the Telugu Desam Party and Jana Sena Party declared they would not contest as a family member of the deceased legislator was fielded.

Besides the state president Somu Veerraju, several Rajya Sabha members and former union ministers participated in electioneering soliciting votes for the party candidate G Bharat Kumar Yadav. However, the BJP is at a disadvantage as its candidate is a non-local.

The polling will begin on Thursday morning, with a total of 377 EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) kept at 279 polling booths. Of the 2,13,138 voters in the constituency, 1,07,367 are women and 1,05,960 are men.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the byelection. Nellore Superintendent of Police Ch Vijaya Rao said that a three-tier security is in place for 123 troubled polling stations. Police had seized Rs 47 lakh during a regular checking of vehicles at check posts, he said.