By-elections in Andhra Pradesh crucial for Congress

Poll panel fixes May 25 as last day for filing nominations

With the Election Commission announcing the by-poll schedule for Andhra Pradesh, the countdown has begun for a crucial political battle for the ruling Congress plagued with infighting and growing rebellion.

According to the schedule, the by-elections to Nellore Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly seats would be held on June 12. The poll notification will be issued on 18 May.

The by-polls, widely seen as a “semi-final” before the General Elections in 2014, will be an acid test for Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy as he faces the twin challenge of growing internal squabbles and the emergence of the YSR Congress Party, headed by Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy, as a formidable political force.

The by-elections were necessitated in 17 Assembly seats following the disqualification of the Congress MLAs for voting against the government during a no-confidence motion in December last while actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi resigned as Tirupati MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Barring Parakal in Telangana, all the Assembly constituencies going to the polls are in the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions where Jaganmohan’s fledgling party is expected to hold sway over the voters. The massive turnout for Jaganmohan’s roadshows in these regions has sent jitters in the Congress camp. The ruling party presents a picture of a divided house. Kiran Kumar and the PCC Chief B Satyanarayana have been at loggerheads, prompting the party high command to intervene and broker a temporary truce.

Several ministers have openly rebelled against the chief minister, the latest being Labour Minister D Nagender who is miffed over the unilateral decision of the chief minister to rollback the value-added tax on textiles. The Congress leaders from the Telangana region are also unhappy with the delay in decision on the demand for separate state. In the earlier round of by-elections to seven Assembly seats held last month, the Congress drew a blank, leading to demands for change of guard in the state.

By-polls from June 12

The Election Commission announced that polling for by-elections for Nellore Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh and 26 Assembly seats in eight states will be held on June 12, reports DHNS from New Delhi.

Announcing the schedule for by-polls, the Commission said it has taken “into consideration various factors like festivals, electoral rolls” to decide the dates for holding by-elections on these seats. In a statement issued here, EC announced that notification for by-polls will be issued on May 18. The poll panel has fixed May 25 as the last date of filing nominations, the scrutiny is billed for the next day and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is May 28.

The counting of votes will  take place on June 15. Besides Nellore Parliamentary Constituency in Andhra Pradesh, the by-polls would also be held in 18 Assembly constituencies in the state, 17 of them are in Rayalseema and coastal Andhra and one in Telangana.  The 18 Assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh, where by-elections will be held include: Tirupati, Allagadda, Rajampet, Rayachoti, Parkal, Ongole, Narsamapeta, Payakaraopet (SC), Anantapur Urban, Yemmiganur, Rayadurg, Kodur (SC) and others.