VIJAYAWADA: Gade Srinivasulu Naidu of the Progressive Recognised Teachers Union (PRTU) has been elected as an MLC from Srikakulam - Vizianagaram - Visakhapatnam Teachers’ Constituency.
Elections to the Uttarandhra Teachers’ Constituency, and East Godavari - West Godavari and Guntur - Krishna Graduates’ Constituencies were held on February 27. Counting of votes was taken up on Monday.
The counting of votes for Uttarandhra Teachers’ Constituency was held at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam. Even if the TDP and the Jana Sena Party extended support to APTF candidate and sitting MLC Pakalapati Raghu Varma in the election, Gade emerged victorious. Interestingly, the BJP, though part of the NDA government in the State, extended support to Gade.
Despite Gade getting majority after the counting of first preference votes, election officials took up the elimination rounds as he could not get the required number of votes. Gade had increased his votes in the elimination rounds, and the officials declared him elected.
Congratulating Gade, TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao said the coalition government is committed to resolving the issues of teachers. He denounced the YSRCP propaganda that the victory of PRTU in the MLC election was a setback to the TDP-led NDA in the State, mentioning that alliance partners did not contest the poll.
Meanwhile, the counting of votes for the two graduates’ segments is going on, and it is expected to take a day or two to complete the process.
Alapati leads in Krishna-Guntur segment
For the Krishna - Guntur Graduates’ Constituency poll, the counting of votes is being held at AC College in Guntur.
Former minister Alapati Rajendra Prasad, who is supported by the NDA, is leading with more than 30,000 votes against PDF candidate KS Lakshmana Rao when reports last came in. As many as 2,41,493 votes were polled in the MLC election.
The counting of votes for the East Godavari - West Godavari Graduates’ Constituency commenced at CRR Engineering College in Eluru. The contest is mainly between Perabathula Rajasekhar supported by the NDA, and D Veera Raghavulu of PDF though 35 candidates are in the fray.
Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition in the Council Botcha Satyanarayana called the defeat in the Uttarandhra Teachers’ MLC elections has dealt a significant blow to the TDP-JSP coalition.
