The polling date for the MLC election to replace Pothula Sunitha has been scheduled for January 28 by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The poll result will be declared on the same day after 5 pm. On Wednesday, the ECI announced that the notification will be issued on January 11 and the last day for the nomination of candidates is January 18.
The MLC post has been vacant for the past three months following the resignation of Sunitha in October 2020. Sunitha, a member of the TDP, had resigned from the post alleging that TDP president Chandrababu Naidu had been interfering with the YSRCP government's welfare programmes for marginalised BC, SC and ST communities.
At the time of announcing her resignation, Sunitha claimed that she took the decision after realising that the TDP was using the Backward Class community as a vote bank. Sunitha alleged she also faced humiliation for nearly two decades in the party.
Though she continued her association with the TDP until her resignation, she openly endorsed the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, following which the party registered a complaint with the Chairman of the Legislative Council seeking her disqualification.
Sunitha unsuccessfully contested as the MLA from Chirala in 2014.
Meanwhile, the bye-poll date for the Tirupati MP constituency has yet to be announced. The post is vacant following the death of Balli Durga Prasad Rao in September last year. The former MP succumbed to COVID-19.
Following the BJP’s meteoric rise in Telangana with back-to-back victories in Dubbaka bye-poll and the Hyderabad civic elections, the party appears to be confident of winning the Tirupati seat. The BJP is betting on their vocal stance to protect Hindu temples, which they allege are being targeted under the Jagan government.