Nandyal bypoll dates declared

The first real political battle after the 2014 general elections will ensue between TD president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the Nandyal Assembly bypoll to be held on August 23. The date was announced by the Election Commission’s office on Thursday.

The byelection became necessary with the death of Bhuma Nagi Reddy on March 12. He was elected on a YSRC ticket in 2014 and joined the TD. Though there were three bypolls held after 2014 for the Allagadda, Nandigama and Tirupati Assembly seats, the TD and YSRC did not contest face to face in any of them.

With the general elections one and a half years away, this bypoll has become politically significant for both Mr Naidu and Mr Reddy who want to prove their individual strengths. City cardiologists have asked the AP government to repeal their decision of not allowing NTR Vaidyaseva patients from seeking cardiac care in Hyderabad hospitals. NTR Vaidyaseva is the AP version of Aarogyasri.

The AP government order will put heart patients at immense risk, trauma and discomfort, the doctors said.

Dr Sridhar Kasturi, president of Cardiology Society of India (Telangana), said, “People who opt for Vaidyaseva are from economically and socially backward sections. These people come to Hyderabad as the best of treatment can be provided to them here. If the Vaidyaseva