Keeping aside who will win in Kadapa bypolls, it's the soaring image of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that is more baffling to his rivals. Thanks to much touted electioneering by the ruling and opposition parties, which is aiding Jagan Mohan Reddy to emerge as a true successor to YSR brand of politics. The question now is not who will win, but with how much majority Y S Jaganmohan Reddy will sweep the bypolls that are to take place on 8 May.

More or less, the bypolls in Kadapa and Pulivendula are becoming one-sided elections with Jagan holding all the aces with him. Congress nominee D L Ravindra Reddy and TDP candidate M V Mysoora Reddy are slugging it out for the second and third positions. While Jagan camp is looking at three lakh plus majority, TDP is banking on the split in the traditional Congress vote-bank. On the other hand, the odds are heavily stacked against health minister DLR.

In all over 13.28 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the high-profile election on May 8. The atmosphere in Pulivendula, Jammalamadugu, Proddatur, Mydukur, Kamalapuram, Badvel and Kadapa, all the seven Assembly segments in Kadapa parliamentary constituency, are equally surcharged. Missing in the campaign are public issues. Here, the campaign centres around the late YSR, as leaders of both the parties fight to own him up. The TDP on the other hand is directing its attack on the alleged 'corrupt practices' of the late leader YSR and his son Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

While Congress and TDP's campaign against a 'corrupt' Jagan is not striking a chord with the electorate, most voters cast aside the issue of corruption in this high-profile elections. On the other hand, anger against Sonia Gandhi's treatment of YSR family is strong among the people, especially women. The fact that Jagan is being seen as a great hope by women and a great section of youth is perhaps a reflection of the unassailable grip the YSR Congress party has established in the district over other parties. In fact, Jagan is being projected by the rank and file as the leader of the future (future CM) though curiously Jagan is contesting for the MP seat. In a sense, Jagan is carefully cultivating an image that he is the 'development man' of Kadapa and both Congress and TDP couldn't stop him from doing so.