The Election Commission of India on Thursday sounded the bugle for by-elections to Nandyal assembly seat, which has fallen vacant due to sudden death of sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy.
According to the schedule released by the EC, the elections will be held on August 23 and the counting would be done and results would be declared on August 28.
The notification will be issued on July 29, when the nomination process starts. The nominations will be received up to August 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is August 9.
With the announcement of schedule, the model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect.
As such, the Telugu Desam Party government headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu cannot launch any new programmes or lay foundation stones in Nandyal assembly constituency.
The battle lines are now drawn in Nandyal. It is a matter of prestige for the TDP as any loss in the by-elections would trigger a wave of anti-establishment across the state.
And for opposition YSR Congress party, it is a do-or-die battle as it has to establish its supremacy over the TDP if it wants to achieve victory elsewhere in the state.
