The political parties have changed their strategies in the Tirupati Lok Sabha by-elections. They are chalking out a pan to grab as many Sarpanch seats because it would help them gain in the bypoll. The YSRCP, TDP, BJP-Janasena are adopting the same approach. Though the Panchayat elections are on in the entire state, the focus is mainly on Tirupati.
Chittoor was also one of the districts where the YSRCP got a majority of the seats in the last elections. The party candidate B Durga Prasad Rao won from the Tirupati Lok Sabha. However, he died because of ill-health recently and it necessitated a bypoll. The TDP is in the forefront in its preparation to cash in the opposition of the people on YSRCP government. The party appointed committees for the seven Assembly constituencies in the segment. It is planning to field former Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi as the candidate. The YSRCP is adopting a wait and watch policy over the candidates. It is not known who is going to contest among the BJP and Janasena.
The parties have shifted focus to bag the Sarpanch seats under the segment. The YSRCP is trying to make as many unanimous as possible. The TDP, BJP-Janasena are also thinking that they have good chances if they strengthen in the villages. They are focusing on all the Assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha. The TDP is also firm on having strong party leaders as Sarpanches. The Janasena leader Pawan Kalyan recently held a meeting in Tirupati and told about the party’s strategy. The BJP is doing the same.
All the parties have the same mantra and that is to win the Sarpanch election and this will ensure the party winning the Lok Sabha poll. The parties are in search of a strong candidate in villages. It has to be seen which party would get mileage in Panchayat polls and how they would perform in Tirupati Lok Sabha.