Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Council poll: campaign reaches feverish pitch

Special Correspondent

Fear of cross voting is stalking the two Congress contestants

TIRUPATI: With barely three days to go for elections to the Legislative Council under the local bodies, teachers and the graduates' constituencies, the campaign by candidates has reached a feverish pitch. But the contest under the local bodies' quota stands out as the fiercest as it has all the ingredients of a general election. Another reason that makes the contest under the local bodies' quota more interesting is that it is fought on the party lines and candidates crossing their swords are all first-rung and full-fledged politicians like former MLAs, those who missed the bus in the last election or those who had lost in the contest.

In contrast the contest for the other two categories-- teachers and graduates are on a slightly subdued note and is devoid of the usual political intrigues as they are not fought directly on party lines though the parties and their frontal units have indirectly thrown their lot behind them and are engaged in an intensive campaign in universities, colleges, schools and offices seeking votes of the graduates and the teachers.

As for the campaign for the two seats available in the district under the local bodies' category, the two Congress candidates-- Reddappa Reddy, a retired police officer, and Jayachandra Naidu are facing a very peculiar situation. Though the party faced a shortage of 36 votes to wrest both the seats, it has sent into the ring the two incumbents vying for both the seats to wipe out the TDP in Chandrababu Naidu's home ground. This misadventure has obviously left the two incumbents with no other option but to under-cut each other's chances for their own survival.

The mutual mistrust and squabbles between the two groups leading the incumbents show no sign of any abatement even two days after the high command's emissary,

Kodanda Reddy rushed to the district and tried to talk some sense into them. Though the emissary, at the instance of the Chief Minister, has clearly apportioned the constituencies, areas and voters between the two candidates, the mutual distrust and fear of cross voting is stalking the two Congress contestants.

Guarding their stock

The two groups, on one hand, have to protect their own flock and then try to poach votes from among the 20 Independents, 11 `others' and the TDP stocks to make up for a shortage of 36 votes or 18 votes each to win. This makes the contest in the district exciting and nail-biting for the political watchers.

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Council poll: campaign reaches feverish pitch

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