The Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll would be an acid test for the ruling TRS, resurgent BJP and Congress-- with all three keen to prove their might as a win or defeat may script the strategy to be adopted by them for the Assembly polls in 2023.
Though candidates from other parties and independents are in the fray for the Assembly segment which would go to the polls on April 17, the contest would be mainly between the three parties.
The bypoll for the constituency was necessitated due to the death of sitting TRS legislator Nomula Narsimhaiah who passed away in December last.
The BJP, which won the Dubbak bypoll and a good chunk of divisions in the recently held Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls, is gearing up to show its strength by winning the Nagarjuna Sagar seat, while the ruling TRS is confident of retaining it.
The saffron party has put up P Ravi Kumar as its candidate for the bypoll.
The Congress announced the candidature of senior leader K Jana Reddy, who had served as Leader of Opposition in the previous Legislative Assembly, as its candidate.He lost from the same constituency in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Jana Reddy is a seven time MLA from this segment. A win in the bypoll would act as a tonic for rejuvenation of the Congress which otherwise is in lacklustre state after successive defeats in the 2018 Assembly polls, Dubbak bypoll and GHMC elections.
The TRS has announced Nomula Bhagat Kumarson of Narasimhaiah as its candidate.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has already addressed a public meeting in the constituency on February 10. He launched several irrigation projects on that day in Nalgonda district under which the Nagarjuna Sagar segment falls.
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