T'gana: 119 nominations filed for Huzurnagar bypoll

A total of 119 nominations have been filed for the bypoll to Huzurnagar assembly constituency in Telangana, which is all set to witness a keen multi cornered contest with all major parties, including ruling TRS, opposition Congress, BJP, TDP and others in the fray.

TRS nominee S Saidi Reddy, Congress candidate N Padmavati Reddy, TDP's Chava Kiranmai and BJP's Kota Rama Rao were among those who filed their nominations on the last day on Monday.

Officials said 119 nominations have been filed for the bypoll.

The nominations would be scrutinized on Tuesday.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 3.

The bypoll was necessitated due to the resignation of state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy following his election to the Lok Sabha.

Congress has fielded Uttam Kumar Reddys wife Padmavati Reddy, a former MLA, while the TRS has put up Saidi Reddy who lost to Uttam Reddy in the 2018 assembly elections.

It is a prestigious battle for the PCC president to retain his seat, while TRS is leaving no stone unturned to wrest it from the Congress to demonstrate its dominance in state politics.

This is particularly so as TRS had suffered unexpected setbacks in the Lok Sabha polls with TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raos daughter and sitting MP K Kavitha losing in Nizamabad.

BJP made impressive gains in the LS polls, bagging four of the total of 19 seats.

BJP has fielded a medical doctor, Kota Rama Rao, as its nominee.

The TDP, which contested the 2018 Assembly polls in Telangana in alliance with Congress but won only two seats, has nominated party leader Chava Kiranmai as its candidate.

The ruling TRS, Congress and other parties have sought the support of CPI in the bypoll as the Left party has not fielded a candidate.

CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy said a decision on the matter would be taken at a party meeting.

The ruling TRS and Congress have taken a head start over their rivals in campaigning and engaged in a war of words, vis-a-vis the development of Huzurnagar.

Polling is scheduled to be held on October 21 and counting of votes will be on October 24.