Munugode bypoll is keen contest to 3 main parties in Khammam and Nalgonda
Khammam: The Munugode by-poll is seen as key to the future by all the three main political parties –the TRS, Congress and BJP -- in Khammam and Nalgonda districts.
All three parties feel a win in Munugode will give enough impetus to them now as the Telangana assembly polls are expected in the near future. Even an advancement of the polls is speculated as chief minister KCR did last time.
When DC interacted with a poll enthusiast and government teacher in Suryapet, A Ashok, he said, “Unlike in Huzurabad, Munugode is more important to the Congress and the BJP than the ruling TRS. “The morale of Congress will be lost if the party is defeated in Munugode. If it wins, it will have an image boost. The BJP’s future plans will be hit if the party lost there the sentiments will spread into Khammam and Nalgonda districts.”
Former MP Srinivasa Reddy and former minister Tummala Nageswara, being persuaded by BJP leaders to join it, are eager to enter the Munugode by-poll. BJP is not very influential in Khammam and has its cadre only in some pockets in Nalgonda district.
Former MLC and Congress leader in Khammam Potla Nageswara said, “A win for the BJP is not good news either to the TRS or the Congress. TRS leaders will be poached by the BJP after its win and it is difficult for the Congress to strengthen itself in these districts if it lost in Munugode.''
Suryapet district BJP president Bobba Bhagya Reddy said, “BJP will win in Munugode by-poll because the party had 28,000 votes in the segment. If the Congress wins there, it will help only the TRS; and the winning candidate may join the ruling party. BJP will focus on it in the next elections.”
D Kotagiri, a social activist in Nalgonda, said, “TRS will face more loss than the Congress in Nalgonda district if the party is defeated in Munugode. Some of the TRS dissident leaders will turn to the BJP for salvation after the election. As far as the Congress is concerned, the party has senior leaders in every assembly segment in the district.”
Khammam Town Congress president Javed Mohammad said, “Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra will help the Congress in Munugode. The yatra will passed through Telangana probably prior to the by-poll. There is no difference to TRS with a win and, for it, this is like the Nagarjunasagar or Huzurnagar by-poll.”
Khammam district BJP president Galla Satyanarayana said, “People will not vote for the Congress because the winning candidate may join the ruling party. There is no chance of a TRS win and there is a lot of resentment among the public against the ruling government.”
