Hyderabad:
By-elections to seven assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh will be held today. The by-polls are seen to be very critical that could change political equations, not just in the state but also within a possible third front nationally.
Six constituencies - Kollapur, Nagarkurnool, Mahbubnagar, Kamareddy, Adilabad and Station Ghanpur - are in Telangana region, while the seventh, Kovur, is in coastal Andhra.
These by-polls are being dubbed as "quarter-finals" before the "semi-finals" over the next few months, when 17 other constituencies will have by-elections. They are also crucial for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) to show the Telangana sentiment is a dominant issue in the region.
For Jaganmohan Reddy-led fledgling YSR Congress party, the result of the by-election holds key to its fortunes, as it will face a bigger test in the elections to 17 other constituencies later.
Large-scale betting is on over the margin of victory the YSR Congress candidate N Prasanna Kumar Reddy may secure in Kovur, though the main Opposition, the Telugu Desam Party, is leaving no stone unturned to spoil his prospects.
Contrary to initial expectations, the sailing may not be all too smooth for TRS in the five constituencies it is contesting, as both TDP and the ruling Congress are said to be catching up in the race.
The TRS is anxious not to lose even on a single seat, as it is virtually fighting a do-or-die battle. A single defeat can prove to be its nemesis, and with it the "statehood movement" too will suffer a major blow.
Speaking on the eve of the polling day, Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal said all arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of the by-elections, in which about 13 lakh voters would exercise their franchise.
Authorities have seized over Rs 9 crore cash at various places since the notification of the by-elections. The CEO said there were complaints of large-scale distribution of money and liquor in Kovur. There were also complaints that candidates were campaigning through SMS in Kovur. "We are looking into these complaints, and will take appropriate action," he said.