HYDERABAD: The ruling TRS and TDP in Telangana and AP respectively suffered a setback in the MLC elections (under graduates’ quota in TS and teachers’ quota in AP) on Wednesday with both parties losing one seat each.
TRS candidate in the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar graduates’ constituency, employees’ union leader G Deviprasad Rao, was defeated by BJP’s N Ramachander Rao. However, the Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam graduates’ constituency brought some cheer to the TRS. Its candidate P Rajeshwar Reddy was ahead of his nearest rival, BJP’s Errabelli Rammohan Rao, when reports last came in.
The TRS loss in Hyderabad-RR-Palamur segment was waiting to happen as Deviprasad had failed to solicit the support of top party leaders till the last minute. “One party MP received a call from him just 24 hours before the election!” a TRS leader said. The poor voter turnout too reflected how lightly TRS had taken the election, despite knowing that a majority of the voters in the segment are from Seemandhra. There are also reports of sabotage from within. The result, importantly, reflects the weak base of the TRS in the capital region.
On the other hand, the BJP had deployed half-a-dozen Union Ministers for the poll campaign and ensured that its supporters came to vote on election day. The victory is a shot in the arm for the party that is keen on expanding in the State.
In the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, elections to two MLC seats left the TDP leaders disappointed. Party candidate Ramakrishna won the Krishna-Guntur constituency. However, its nominee KVV Satyanarayana Raju alias Chaitanya Raju lost to Surya Rao of the Left in the East and West Godavari constituency in what has come as a surprise and shock to the party. Jagan’s YSRC didn’t put up candidates in these elections.
Setback for TRS in Hyd
Deviprasad didn’t solicit support of top TRS leaders till the last day
Sabotage suspected from within the party
Party didn’t make efforts to bring its voters to the polling booths
Naidu Feels ‘Insulted’
TDP’s Chaitanya Raju’s defeat in twin Godavari teachers’ constituency, a body blow to party
CM Naidu attributes defeat to lack of coordination among MLAs, mantris; says ‘the results insulted me’.