Nalgonda: Congress candidate Teenmar Mallanna, Chintapandu Naveen, won the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates’ MLC bypoll with second preference votes. The Election Commission has to formally announce the victory.
Mallanna secured 1,22,813 first priority votes and BRS candidate A. Rakesh Reddy got 1,04,248 votes. BJP candidate Gujjala Premender Reddy came third with 24,313 votes while 29,697 votes went to Palakuri Ashok, an independent candidate.
The bvyelection was held on May 27, and counting began on June 5.
As Mallanna failed to get the quora votes of 1,55,095, the counting of second priority votes was taken up after elimination of candidates who received fewer votes. Mallanna got the majority in every roundin the MLC constituency that covers 34 Assembly segments.
Speaking to the media at the counting centre, Mallanna said that he got a majority in the counting of first and second priority votes. He thanked the graduate voters and Congress leaders, who worked for victory.
Rakesh Reddy said he might have technically been defeated but had won a moral victory. He said he had succeeded in stopping Teenmar Mallanna from reaching the quora votes of 1,55,000.
He said that the Congress held 32 Assembly segments out of the 34 which fall under the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates constituency. Moreover, half of the Cabinet members were representing these 34 segments, he added.
He felt that this election gave the satisfaction of giving a tough fight to the ruling party candidate.
“I may not have a chance to raise my voice in the Legislative Council, but I will fight on GO No. 64 and issues of the youth with support of the public”, he added.
