Bringing down the curtains of uncertainty, the Telugu Desam Party has decided to stay away from the local bodies MLC bypoll in the combined Visakhapatnam district to be held on August 30 as the party does not have the required strength to win the seat.
With this, the election will only be a formality and the win of YSRCP candidate Botcha Satyanarayana is almost certain unless a miracle happens.
As 13 August is the last date for filing of nominations, suspense continues in the TDP camp over the party decision till morning. After deliberations with the party leaders, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has decided not to contest the elections. He announced his decision on the final day of filing nominations disappointing the aspirants in the party.
Earlier, it was speculated that Baira Dileep Chakravarthi would contest the election on the TDP ticket as party leaders Gandi Babji and Peela Govind did not show interest in contesting the poll.
Of the 838 representatives of local bodies, the YSRCP enjoys the support of over 530. Keeping it in view, the TDP has decided to stay away from the contest.
Accompanied by party leaders, Botcha Satyanarayana filed nomination papers on 12 August. Independent candidate Shaikh Shafiq Ullah also filed papers to contest in the Visakhapatnam MLC bypoll.
While scrutiny of papers will be taken up on 14 August, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is 16 August. Polling will be held on 30 August and counting of votes will be taken up on 3 September.
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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu
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