In a stunning political upset in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP has secured a remarkable victory in YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s own constituency. The Pulivendula ZPTC by-election, which witnessed a fiercely fought contest, ended in a resounding win for the TDP. MLC B.Tech Ravi’s wife, Mareddy Latha Reddy, emerged victorious with a massive margin of 6,050 votes.
Latha Reddy polled a total of 6,735 votes, while YSRCP’s Hemant Reddy managed only 683 votes, handing the TDP a one-sided triumph. YSRCP, which had charged with irregularities during polling and boycotted the re-polling and counting, could not manage even a symbolic win, emphasizing the serious defeat of the ruling party.
Loss of a ZPTC seat in Jagan’s Pulivendula is being viewed as a major political setback for YSRCP. The party had already fared poorly in Kadapa district in the general elections, securing just three out of ten seats, and this by-election loss adds further to its misery. Hemant Reddy, the candidate imported from overseas with great hopes, polled only 683 votes and lost his deposit, giving a body blow to the morale of the party.
