Jagadish Reddy on cloud nine for achieving bypoll hat-trick

HYDERABAD: Energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy, the incharge minister for undivided Nalgonda district achieved a 'hat-trick' for the TRS with Sunday’s win in Munugode. He had earlier played a key role in the party’s wins at Huzurnagar in October 2019, Nagarjunasagar in April 2021, both located in Nalgonda district.

In the process, Jagadish Reddy achieved the rare feat of presenting all the 12 Assembly seats in Nalgonda district to the TRS.

Interestingly, on all three occasions, the TRS trounced 'political bigwigs' of the Congress and the BJP. Huzurnagar seat was vacated by N. Uttam Kumar Reddy in May 2019, then the TPCC chief, after he got elected as Lok Sabha member from Nalgonda. He fielded his wife Padmavathi in the bypoll but she was defeated by TRS candidate Saidi Reddy.

In Nagarjunasagar, the TRS candidate, 37-year old Nomula Bhagat, defeated 75-year old Congress stalwart and seven-time MLA K. Jana Reddy. In Munugode, TRS defeated Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Jagadish Reddy owed his success to TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and party working president K.T. Rama Rao who reposed faith in him from 2014.

"Now the entire erstwhile Nalgonda district is represented by the TRS. It has made a sweep of all three bypolls in the district. This was possible because of the strong leadership provided by KCR and KTR."

Jagadish Reddy achieved victory for the party in Nagarjunasagar and Munugode at a time when the party's morale was low due to losses in Dubbak and Huzurabad.