HYDERABAD/ NALGONDA: ‘’My victory is people’s victory and TRS government’s defeat,’’ announced BJP candidate N Ramachandra Rao after being declared as victorious in the MLC elections held for Mahbubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad graduates constituency.
Fielded by BJP-TDP combine, Ramachandra Rao maintained upper hand right from the beginning of counting and his majority swelled with each round. In the first round itself Ramachandra Rao earned more than 3,000 majority over his nearest rival TRS candidate G Devi Prasad.
Counting was held in four rounds on 28 tables at the Victory Indoor Stadium here.
By the end of fourth round Ramachandra Rao got about 53,881 votes. TRS contestant Devi Prasad was far behind with 40,563 votes. Congress candidate Ravi Kumar Gupta was in an unenviable position by earning 2,856 votes, even lesser than invalid votes of about 8433.
As Ramachandra Rao has got a clear majority in the first priority votes itself, there was no need for counting second priority votes.
Meanwhile in Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal graduates MLC constituency TRS candidate P Rajeshwar Reddy was ahead of BJP-TDP candidate E Rammohan Rao till the last reports were received. Counting started in the evening at NG College in Nalgonda district headquarters.
After completion of first round Rajeshwar Reddy got 1,272 votes majority over Rammohan Rao. While P Rajeshwar Reddy got 3,912 votes, Rammohan Rao got 2,640 votes.
By the end of third round P Rajeshwar Reddy got about 1,856 votes majority. Meanwhile Congress candidate Teenmar Mallanna was nowhere in the competition.
Unlike Mahbubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad graduates constituency where BJP candidate cruised towards victory without any doubt, tension filled the air at the counting centre for Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal constituency.
Election officer and Nalgonda collector P. Satyanarayana Reddy said that counting will be held in 16 rounds and continue till Thursday morning. Only on Thursday morning shall the final results be announced.
While there are 2.80 lakh voters in Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal graduates MLC constituency 1.48 lakh votes were polled.
Invalid Ballot Papers
Signifying Telangana youths disappointment with TRS government in Mahbubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad graduates constituency, messages like ‘We don’t have jobs’, ‘We want jobs’ were found written on several invalid ballot papers. Close to 10,000 invalid votes were cast here.