119 sets of nominations filed for Huzurnagar bypoll

As many as 119 sets of nomination papers were filed for October 21 by-election to Huzurabad Assembly seat in Telangana, poll officials said on Monday.

Candidates of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) were among those who filed the nominations on Monday, the last day of filing of nominations.

Suryapet District Collector and Returning Officer D. Amoy Kumar said a total of 119 nomination sets were filed, but the total number of nominations is expected to be less than 100 as candidates of major parties usually file more than one set of papers.

The scrutiny of nominations will take place on Tuesday. October 3 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

The official said M3, the latest version of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), will be used in the by-election.

As many as 24 ballot units can be connected to the control unit of M3 EVMs, catering to 180 odd candidates. The earlier version used to support only four ballot units.

Large number of candidates including independents filed their nominations on the last day. The officials extended the deadline by two hours to enable those waiting in the queue to submit their nominations.

TRS candidate Saidi Reddy and candidates of other parties filed their papers on the last day for nominations. Accompanied by Energy Minister Jagadish Reddy and other TRS leaders, Saidi Reddy filed his papers.

TDP candidate Chava Kiranmayi also filed her nomination on the last day. BJP's Rama Rao and CPI-M's P. Shekhar Rao also filed their papers.

The bypoll in Huzurnagar is necessitated by the resignation of state Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy from the Assembly following his election to Lok Sabha from Nalgonda constituency in the recent polls.

Uttam Kumar Reddy's wife Padmavathi Reddy is the Congress candidate. She filed her nomination on September 24.

The entry of the TDP, the BJP and the CPI-M has made it a multi-cornered contest. However, the main fight is likely to be between the Congress and the TRS.

Meanwhile, leaders of Congress on Monday met Communist Party of India (CPI) state Secretary Chada Venkat Reddy to seek his party's support for Padmavathi Reddy.

Leaders of the TRS had called on Venkat Reddy on Sunday to seek CPI's support for their candidate. The CPI leader said the party has still not take a stand on whom to support in the bypoll.IANS