Stage set for Medak by-poll in Telangana on Saturday

Hyderabad: Stage is set for tomorrow’s by-poll to Medak Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, necessitated by the resignation of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao after he became Chief Minister. The by-poll witnessed a spirited campaign with ruling TRS, main Opposition Congress and the BJP-TDP combine making a determined bid to win the election. [caption id=“attachment_1710117” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] The poll fight is important for all the three major parties as TRS looks to retain the seat, while Congress wants to salvage its prestige by securing the constituency in the wake of its failure to win the Legislative Assembly elections despite delivering on the separate statehood demand. BJP, contesting on behalf of the alliance with TDP, is looking to boost its prospects in the newly-carved state by wresting the constituency from the ruling party. Rao addressed a poll meeting in Medak district two days ago in support of TRS candidate K Prabhakar Reddy, while state ministers and other party leaders have campaigned hard to ensure his victory. Medak is the native district of Rao. BJP pulled off a surprise by fielding former Congress MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy, a bitter critic of TRS, and the alliance leaders undertook extensive canvassing to give the ruling party a run for its money. Union Ministers and BJP leaders Prakash Javadekar and DV Sadananda Gowda addressed public meetings in Medak district yesterday in support of Jayaprakash Reddy. Congress has fielded former Minister V Sunita Laxma Reddy and several state leaders of the party campaigned, though no major national figure took part in electioneering. Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the polling, whose result will be known on 16 September. A total number of 15,43,700 electors are eligibile to exercise their franchise at 1,817 polling stations in the Lok Sabha seat, where 14 candidates are in fray. Besides 4,213 state police personnel, 17 companies of central forces (around 1,700 men) have been deployed in the constituency, where 9,086 polling staff will be on duty. Ever since the election schedule was announced in mid- August, the authorities have seized Rs 75.24 lakh unaccounted cash and 4,549 litres of liquor. PTI