HYDERABAD: As expected, the ruling TRS bagged all the six MLC seats in five Local Authorities’ Constituencies on Tuesday, its candidates winning with the first preference votes itself.
TRS candidates got more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled, thus automatically eliminating their opponents from the race.
In a relief to the ruling party, there were no reports of major crossing voting, except seven votes in Medak and 51 votes in Khammam to the Congress. However, expressing displeasure over cross-voting, some TRS leaders demanded a probe.
While sitting MLC from Karimnagar segment T Bhanuprasad Rao scored a hat-trick of victories, former Minister L Ramana and TRS leader MC Kotireddy were elected for the first time.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India had issued notification for the biennial elections to 12 vacant Council seats in nine Local Authorities’ Constituencies on November 16. Of the 12 seats, the TRS won six unopposed while as many as 26 candidates filed their papers for the six seats in five segments, which necessitated polling.
Reacting to the result, TRS working president KT Rama Rao said that the people have supported the pink party in each and every election as they liked the performance of the government.
Meanwhile, a gazette notification was issued on Tuesday, nominating former Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary to the Council under Governor’s quota. With this, all the vacancies in the Council have been filled.
TRS 36/40 in Council
Of the 40 seats in the Council, the strength of the TRS is 36. The MIM has two MLCs while the Congress has one and there is one Independent member