With the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) deciding not to contest the bypoll to the Badvel Assembly constituency, Dasari Sudha of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is likely to be unanimously elected.
Actor politician Pawan Kalyan has already announced that Jana Sena will not contest the bypoll. His alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, has still not taken a decision whether to field a candidate or not.
The BJP's state unit leaders say the party's central leadership will take a decision. However, with Pawan Kalyan already making an announcement, the saffron party is also likely to stay away from the contest.
The by-election to the Badvel constituency (SC) in Kadapa district was necessitated by the death of sitting MLA Dr G. Venkatasubbaiah of YSRCP.
Venkatasubaiah died at the age of 61 in March after prolonged illness.
The YSRCP has decided to field his widow Dasari Sudha for the bypoll, scheduled to be held on October 30.
As per the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, October 8 is the last date for filing of nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on October 11. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 13.
The main opposition TDP on Sunday decided not to contest the bypoll in line with its tradition.
The TDP Politburo, at its meeting chaired by president N. Chandrababu Naidu, took the decision to stay out of the contest as YSRCP has fielded the widow of the deceased MLA.
TDP state president K. Atchannaidu recalled that it was their party that started the tradition of not fielding a candidate whenever the widow of a deceased (sitting) legislator contested a by-election
The TDP had announced its candidate for Badvel more than a month ago.
It named Obulapuram Rajasekhar, who lost the 2019 election.
Addressing a public meeting in Kothacheruvu of Anantapur district on Saturday evening, Pawan Kalyan announced Jana Sena's decision to stay away from the contest.
He stated that the decision was taken after consulting his party men as the ruling party has made the wife of the incumbent as the candidate.
He urged other parties to make the election unanimous. Pawan's announcement came two days after his talks with BJP state chief Somu Veeraju on deciding the alliance candidate for the by-election.
Badvel has a total 2,16,139 voers, including 1,07,340 women.
In the 2019 elections, Venkatasubbaiah won the elections defeating his nearest rival Obulapuram Rajasekhar of TDP with a margin of 44,734 votes. In the elections, BJP candidate T. Jayaramulu had secured just 735 votes.
Badvel has been a bastion of the YSR family supporters since 2009 when Kamalamma won the election.