Nandyal, KMC polls to test Deputy CMs' popularity

Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Ministers K.E. Krishna Murthy and N. China Rrajappa are set to face the litmus test in the name of elections.

For Mr Krishna Murthy, also the Revenue Minister, the Nandyal bypolls will test his seniority, while the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections will decide the future of the Home Minister China Rajappa.

Krishna Murthy has said he was going to gift Nandyal bypolls to the high command and the credit for the success would go to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the party.

He said Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s focus in Nandyal shows the TD’s strength and he expressed hope of winning with a huge majority.

Both the ruling TD and opposition YSRC have taken these elections as prestige issue as it would be people’s referendum on the 3-year government.

The TD, being the ruling party, has many weapons in hand – Mr Chadrababu Naidu’s caliber in electioneering, hold over officials and potential financial and other required resources.

If the TD loses in Nandyal, Mr Krishna Murthy will have to bear the blame, but if it wins, the credit would go to the party and Mr Naidu.

Even the opposition YSR Congress is taking these elections seriously to get political dominance in 2019 elections.

Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy will campaign door to door for 12 days in Nandyal to exhibit the YSRC’s likelihood to win.

Meanwhile, KMC elections have become a real test for Mr China Rajappa in view of Mudragada Padman-abham’s Kapu reservation movement in East Godavari, as the minister has been opposing Mudragada outrightly.

The Kakinada elections became necessary due to High Court directives, and this has become another quest for the TD, along with Nandyal by-polls.

Mr China Rajappa said there was no chance of losing in Kakinada as they had transformed Kakinada into a Smart City.

“The public will support the leadership of the Chief Minister and the YSRC is not a threat to us,” he said.