The polling process in the Tirupati assembly segment held on April 17 became highly controversial. It became all the more damaging for the BJP. It is mainly because BJP nominee Ratna Prabha expected more votes in the Tirupati assembly segment. But, on the polling day, bus loads of outsiders arrived in the temple town and cast bogus votes in the very first hours of polling. Some outsiders were even caught with bogus voter identity cards.

Now, the BJP claims that over 40,000 bogus voters have cast their votes in the Tirupati assembly segment alone. The bogus votes problem is also there in the remaining six assembly segments but on a lower scale. Taking a very serious view, the BJP has decided to petition the High Court of Andhra Pradesh seeking repolling in the Tirupati assembly segment.

It may be recalled that a very low voting percentage of just 50.58 was recorded in the Tirupati assembly segment while the remaining six segments reported above 60 percent with some of them even higher than 70 percent. Besides, the higher bogus voting is giving sleepless nights to the BJP.

Going by this, it is clear that the BJP may most likely lose deposit once again in the Tirupati MP seat. That would be very embarrassing for a national party that has hopes of winning the 2024 elections in AP