YSRC eyes one lakh plus majority in Atmakur bypoll

NELLORE: In a bid to secure maximum majority in Atmakur byelection to prove that people are rallying behind the ruling party, the YSR Congress is planning to depute seven ministers and seven legislators for a high voltage campaign at the constituency.

The party has decided to use all its resources to secure a huge majority to send a strong message to the Opposition Telugu Desam (TD), which is on cloud nine following the huge turnout for Mahanadu held recently in Ongole, that people are rallying behind the YSRC.

Agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy already hinted that their target was one lakh votes’ majority, soon after the nomination filed by their candidate Mekapati Vikram Reddy.

The senior YSRC leaders, who were present during the nomination filing process, kindled the sentiments of the people by stating that one lakh majority would be their true tribute to late Goutham Reddy.

Incidentally, Goutham Reddy had won with 31,686 votes’ majority in 2014 and 22,276 votes’ majority in 2019.

Against this backdrop, achieving one lakh majority in the segment with 2,13,330 eligible voters is certainly an acid test for the leaders being deputed for the campaign to ensure the majority. The ministers likely to be deputed for the campaign include K. Narayana Swamy, R.K. Roja, Meruga Nagarjuna, Amzad Basha and they will be aided by legislators Gadi Srikanth Reddy, Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, former ministers Kodali Nani and Anilkumar Yadav among many others.

There are six mandals and one municipality (Atmakur) in the segment and one minister and one MLA each are being posted for every mandal apart from the civic body for the campaign. Confirming the role of ministers and MLAs in the campaign, former MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said his son Mekapati Vikram Reddy already launched the campaign and was touring in the segment. He expressed confidence in winning the seat with a huge majority in view of the huge response of people to Vikram’s campaign.