Telugu Desam Party wins Nandyal assembly by-election

Telugu Desam Party’s Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy has won in the Nandyal assembly by-election

Reddy gained a total of 27,000 over YSR Congress, Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy.

Voting was held under unprecedented security on Wednesday last. Drones were deployed to beam real-time images of the polling to control centers amid allegations from both sides of voters being bribed.

Nandyal is considered a stronghold of the YSR Congress and its chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who made harsh attacks on Chief Minister Naidu during the campaign, calling him a “thief” as he accused him of stealing his MLAs.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, 44, earned a sharp reprimand and warning from the Election Commission after he said that there would be nothing wrong if Mr Naidu “were to be shot dead on the road.” In another meeting he said there was nothing wrong if “someone like Mr Naidu is hanged for his wrongs.”

Mr Naidu shot back saying he believes that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father, former chief minister YSR Reddy, was a behind-the-scenes player in an assassination attempt that saw Naxals target his convoy in 2003.