Telugu Desam Party is leading by a big margin in the bitterly foughtNandyal by-election with its candidate Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy ahead of YSR Congress by over 27,000 votes after 15 rounds of counting this afternoon.
The TDP candidate established a quick lead over Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress and has been ahead since.
The TDP fielded Bhuma Nagi Reddy’s nephew, also a former YSR Congress man, while the opposition party fielded a former TDP leader Shilpa Chandra Mohan Reddy.
The Nandyal contest is seen as a bellwether for assembly elections in the state and national elections, both to be held in 2019.
Nandyal is considered a stronghold of the YSRC 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.
