Women voters deciding factor in Palair bypoll

Khammam: Voters will decide the fate of 13 candidates on May 19. Counting will begin on Thursday at 8 am at the Agriculture Market Yard, all arrangements having been made for it.

While the win of TRS candidate and minister for roads and buildings Tummala Nageswara Rao in the Palair byelection is not significant, the question is, will Tummala Nageshwara Rao win the margin of 15,000 — or more than 35,000 votes?

A total of 86,787 women voters who exercised their franchise will be the deciding factor for the majority. If a sympathy wave worked for Sucharita Reddy, the
majority will be below 15,000 for Tummala. Preliminary reports are suggesting that farmers and youth, numbering 84,274 voters, voted in favour of the minister.

A private agency indicated that there were 52 per cent votes for Tummala and 36 per cent for  Sucharita Reddy. Another 11 per cent will go to the CPM and other candidates. Though CPI-(ML) New Democracy asked its cadre and party sympathisers to avail of the NOTA option, it is learnt that a majority of them cast their vote for the TRS.

TRS district president Shair Budan Baig, who took various inputs from TRS leaders, predicted that Tummala would win it with more than 40,000 votes in the election. Interestingly, Baig is expecting an MLC post after the election results are out. Tummala is said to resign to the MLC post on May 19 itself after the results.

The Congress, which analysed the poll scenario, felt that the ruling party’s strong arm tactics and money power made a dent in the party’s candidate in Palair. DCC president A. Satyam said that they did not get even the expected funds for the election. “We were in a genuine situation in Palair and campaigned for the party’s policies in the election,” he said.

CPM said that the Palair election witnessed an all-time high in the ruling party’s misuse of power. and hegemony, with all sectors having come in handy for its leaders.