MLC bypoll: Cong., BRS shift local leaders to Goa
The Congress and BRS have shifted elected representatives from local bodies to camps in Goa and the city outskirts respectively, ahead of the bypoll for the Mahbubnagar Local Authorities MLC constituency on March 28.
The electorate comprises 1,439 members of zilla and mandal parishads and municipal councils, 90 per cent of whom had BRS backing. However, about 700 of them have joined the Congress after the Assembly elections and a few more are expected to defect ahead of the March 28 poll. Sarpanches and ward members of gram panchayats have been excluded from the voters list since their five-year tenure ended in February.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who hails from the Mahbubnagar district, has taken this election, the first in his tenure, as a prestige issue. He has decided to exercise his franchise as ex-officio member, along with legislators of the undivided Mahbubnagar district.
The Congress won 12 out of 14 seats in Assembly polls in the undivided district, which adds heft to the Congress bid for the seat. The BRS leadership has shifted its elected leaders to Goa to prevent poaching by Congress. exminister S. Niranjan Reddy, Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy and MLC Challa Venkatrami Reddy are holding camps for BRS leaders, sources said. Congress MLA Kasireddy Narayan Reddy, whose resignation as BRS MLC to join the Congress, necessitated the bypoll, has shifted his supporters to resorts on city outskirts. The Congress has fielded Manney Jeevan Reddy as its candidate and the BRS Naveen Kumar Reddy. The counting of votes will take place on April 2.