Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had deployed the party legislators and ministers, besides the MPs to campaign for the party in the Tirupati by-elections.
According to the sources, the chief minister had positioned one legislator for each mandal and one minister and two legislators for each Assembly constituency.
These legislators and the ministers have already positioned their supporters in their respective area.
The target given to them was that the polling should cross 84 per cent and the party candidate Dr M Guru Murthy’s victory margin must be around 5 lakh votes.
The chief minister had already held two rounds of meetings with the ministers and senior leaders where he made his mind clear on the Tirupati by-election.
He wanted the party leaders to ensure that the nation is taken for a surprise with the Tirupati result.
The BJP with Jana Sena support had fielded its candidate, and wants to make its presence felt in this election, at least to breathe easy.
The TDP too wants some face saving vote in the by-election, as the party had lost the panchayat and municipal elections.
As Jagan Mohan Reddy had set the vote margin at 5 lakh, things have become tough for the ruling party legislators and the ministers to work in the constituencies given to them.
The leaders expect at least 14 lakh voters to turn up at the polling stations and cast their votes to get this 5 lakh mark majority.
The constituency had seen 13 lakh voters turning up in 2019, 12 lakh voters in 2014, 10 lakh voters in 2009 and 8.50 lakh voters in 2004 elections.
If the ministers and the leaders have to meet the target, the polling should go beyond 84 per cent for which they are working now.
The target before the ruling party leaders is to mobilise every voter and take them to the polling station on April 17.
It is to be seen how far the ruling party leaders succeed in taking the voters to the polling booth on the day of polling.