Polling was underway for the by- election to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Warangal- Khammam- Nalgonda graduates ’ constituency on Monday. Voting began at 8a.m. in 34 Assembly constituencies spread over 12 sections, officers said. The process will conclude at 4p.m. A aggregate of graduates are eligible to cast their votes in this constituency.
The Election Commission has set up 605 polling centres. A aggregate of 52 campaigners are in the fray for the by- election but the main contest is among Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi( BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party( BJP) campaigners. The vacancy arose after Palla Rajeshwar Reddy of BRS abnegated following his election to the Assembly from the Jangaon constituency in the Assembly choices held in November 2023. He was tagged as MLC in the election held in 2021. Unlike in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha choices, this by- election is being held with ballot papers and on the base of a preferential system.
Nalgonda quarter collector Dasari Harichandana, who’s the returning officer, said that elaborate arrangements have been made for the by- election. Police have assessed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code around the polling centres to insure peaceful conduct of the pates. Coming near on the heels of the Lok Sabha choices, the by- election is witnessing a bitter contest among the main players. For ruling Congress, it’s a prestige battle as it’s going each out to demonstrate that it continues to enjoy the support of graduates. Jobs for jobless youth was one of the crucial pledges of the party in the Assembly choices and the party tried to assure the choosers that it’s committed to filling two lakh vacuities by the end of 2024. The ruling Congress party, which has 33 out of the 34 MLAs in the graduates’ constituency, is confident of wresting the seat from BRS. It has contended Chintapandu Naveen alias Teenmaar Mallanna, who had queried as an independent and finished second in the election for the MLC seat held two times agone
He’s locked in a three- cornered contest with Rakesh Reddy of BRS andG. Permender Reddy of BJP. Premender Reddy had secured fourth place in the 2021 bean as a BJP seeker. Rakesh Reddy quit BJP to join BRS just before the Assembly choices after he was denied a ticket from the Warangal constituency. Teenmaar Mallanna had also quit the BJP to join Congress just before the Assembly pates. The CPI, CPI( M) and TJS have declared their support for the Congress seeker.
