Kadapa, March 21: Though the Congress on paper has 499 voters (ZPTCs – 47, MPTCs – 432, municipal council members – 19 and one MLA), it is a divided house with more than half of them siding with Jagan. The Congress has fielded former Proddatur MLA N Varadarajulu Reddy as its candidate while C Narayana Reddy has been fielded on behalf of the Jagan’s group.
The TDP, which has only 122 votes (ZPTCs -2, MPTCs – 114 and municipal council members – 6), which in no way can ensure a victory to its candidate, has not entered the fray. The party voters have been asked to cast their vote according to their conscience.
Meanwhile, the Congress and the Jagan groups have started vigorous camp politics. The voters loyal to them have been shifted to camps set up in places like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and various places in the district. For the Congress, DL Ravindra Reddy, YS Vivekananda Reddy and G Veerasiva Reddy are making strategic moves.
While C Narayana Reddy claims that he has the support of more 342 voters to secure him an easy win, Congress leader Veerasiva Reddy says their candidate Varadarajulu Reddy will poll more than 400 votes. Since Friday night, the camps are being shifted to the district to ensure that voters cast their votes without any eleventh hour problems.
Meanwhile, voters are being lured by rival groups with money and other promises. Sources say each voter has been offered as much as Rs 12 lakh to Rs 15 lakh in lump sum. It is learnt that the kin of the voters are also being kidnapped to bring pressure on them. Jagan’s group, which is concentrated in the Jammalamadugu constituency, has conducted a mock polling for its voters.
The war of words between the rival groups and their leaders has intensified in the last two days.
Political observers predict a tight contest between the Jagan group and the Congress while the TDP voters might emerge as the decisive factor.
–Agencies