Nandyal bypolls results: N Chandrababu Naidu thanks voters for victory; YSRC downplays loss

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that the victory of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the byelection to Nandyal Assembly seat reflected the people’s trust in his governance. He thanked the people of the state for supporting the TDP-led government and its development agenda. However, the opposition YSR Congress (YSRC), which lost the bypoll, said the setback was “temporary”. “Thanking people of Nandyal for showing their trust in TDP’s governance. Will create a Smart Nandyal by following our motto ‘People First’,” Naidu said in a tweet after his party’s Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy was declared the winner in the bypoll. [caption id=“attachment_3898735” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Chandrababu Naidu. IBN live[/caption] Reddy defeated his nearest rival, YSR Congress candidate and former minister, Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy, by a huge margin of 27,466 votes this afternoon. “People have endorsed development agenda, upheld values in public life. Rejected and punished negative politics & disorderliness,” the chief minister tweeted. Naidu also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi who congratulated Brahmananda Reddy and the TDP over the victory. “We’re happy to see that people of Nandyal have reflected their belief in our model of governance,” the TDP president added. Meanwhile, YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy said it would be a “mistake” for Naidu to claim victory in Nandyal. “I would accept the people’s verdict but at the same time, it is a mistake for Naidu to claim victory. The setback (for YSRC) is temporary and it is not prudent for Naidu to describe it as a victory for ethics, morals and values were thrown to winds and there was no level-playing field,” Jagan told a press conference. He dared the chief minister to make all 20 MLAs, who defected from the YSRC to the TDP, resign from their posts and face fresh elections. “One can then call it a referendum (on the state government),” the Leader of Opposition remarked.