TEKKALI MLA BHARATHIHYDERABAD: While the Congress party termed the victory of its candidate in Tekkali byelection as tribute to late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the Opposition felt that the `double sympathy’ factor worked in favour of Congress.
Pradesh Congress Committee chief D Srinivas termed the party’s victory as a tribute to Rajasekhara Reddy. “Programmes and works undertaken by Rajasekhara Reddy have helped the party’s victory in Tekkali,’’ he noted.
Talking to newsmen here today, Srinvias said Congress party had improved its performance by increase in the victory margin. Naturally, sympathy factor plays a role in an election, he added. Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the party’s victory in Tekkali indicates that the people have reposed faith in Congress and its leadership.
Increase in party’s vote percentage was because of programmes and schemes undertaken by his father Rajasekhara Reddy, he noted.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao, who is currently in New Delhi, said that the party’s victory had shown that the people have once again gave a clear verdict to show their love for Rajasekhara Reddy.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah said that the victory was a sweet result of the development activities and able leadership of AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Rajasekhara Reddy. He said that the voters of Srikakulam district have been voting against Congress but the latest victory at Tekkali indicates that the district was turning into a stronghold of Congress.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu said that the `double sympathy’ worked in favour Congress. The deaths of Revatipati and Rajasekhara Reddy helped Congress candidate to win, he said.
He, however, noted that TDP improved its voting percentage. It was a moral victory for TDP, Naidu said.
However, TDP leader Umareddy Venkateswarlu said that there was no sympathy wave in Tekkali. If there was sympathy wave why was the polling less this time, he questioned and added that TDP is the only alternative to Congress.
PRP president Chiranjeevi said that the outcome of Tekkali election was on the expected lines. The sympathy factor helped the Congress, he said.
Chiranjeevi admitted that the PRP’s dilemma whether to contest or not also reflected on the party’s performance. As a result the party got less votes when compared to previous election, he added. The PRP chief said that despite all these factors, the party polled good number of votes.
