BJP Leads in Telangana MLC Election
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Synopsis
As counting progresses for the Telangana MLC election, the BJP holds a substantial lead over Congress in the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates' constituency, with Anji Reddy ahead by 5,000 votes.
Key Takeaways
- BJP candidate Anji Reddy leads by 5,000 votes.
- Counting of second preference votes ongoing.
- Majority of candidates eliminated in the second round.
- Over 28,000 votes declared invalid.
- Voter turnout was 70.4% on election day.
Hyderabad, March 5 (NationPress) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to lead in the Telangana Legislative Council election for the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates' constituency as the vote counting progresses into its third day on Wednesday.
BJP candidate Anji Reddy is ahead by approximately 5,000 votes compared to his closest rival V. Narender Reddy from the Congress party during the second preference vote counting.
Anji Reddy received 78,635 votes while Narender Reddy garnered 73,644 votes. Prasanna Harikrishna from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is in third place with 63,404 votes.
Out of 56 candidates, 53 were eliminated in the second preference round.
The second preference vote counting was initiated after no candidate achieved victory in the first-preference votes. The BJP obtained around 34 percent of the total first preference votes, while the Congress acquired 31.5 percent and the BSP received 27 percent. Since no candidate surpassed the 50 percent threshold, the second preference votes were counted.
The MLC election took place on February 27 using a preferential voting system via ballot papers.
The extensive ballot paper size led to over a day's time for the counting personnel to organize the votes. A considerable number of invalid votes also contributed to delays in the counting process.
Among the 2,52,100 votes cast (including postal ballots), around 28,000 were declared invalid.
A total of 2,50,106 voters participated in the Graduates' MLC elections on February 27, determining the fate of 56 candidates.
The ruling Congress and opposition BJP are engaged in a direct contest in this constituency, currently held by senior Congress leader and former minister T. Jeevan Reddy.
During the election on February 27, 70.4 percent of registered voters exercised their right to vote.
Polling also occurred on the same day for the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers' constituencies.
A BJP-supported candidate, Malka Komaraiah, won the election from the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers' constituency, covering 15 districts.
He won the seat with a margin exceeding 5,700 first preference votes against his closest opponent Vanga Mahender Reddy of the PRTU (TS).
The PRTU (TS) won the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda seat, with its candidate P. Sripal Reddy triumphing in the second-preference vote count, securing 13,969 votes. The sitting MLC, Narsi Reddy of UTF, finished in second place.
