TRS wins N’Sagar bypoll, Cong gets back 2nd slot
In a landmark victory, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate Nomula Bhagath won the Nagarjunasagar byelections against his nearest rival and senior Congress leader K. Jana Reddy with a thumping majority.
The TRS won the election with a margin of 18,449 votes. Thirty-seven-year old Bhagath secured 87,254 votes while 74-year-old Jana Reddy got 68,805 votes. BJP candidate Dr P Ravi Kumar Naik lost his deposit.
The bypoll for the constituency was necessitated following the death of TRS’ sitting MLA Nomula Narsimhaiah. The TRS fielded his son Nomula Bhagath against Congress candidate Jana Reddy in the bypoll. Bhagath has registered an early lead as the counting of votes began on Sunday morning. The TRS maintained its lead right from the first round till the 25th round. Bhagath was leading over Jana Reddy from the first round and all other rounds thereafter till the 25th round of counting except for 10th, 11th, and 14th rounds. While Jana Reddy remained in the second position, the BJP candidate Ravi Naik had to bite the dust in the bypoll.
It may be recalled that Jana Reddy lost from Nagarjunasagar constituency to TRS candidate Nomula Narsimhaiah by 7,774 votes in the 2018 Assembly elections.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi's Nomula Bhagath created history in Nagarjunasagar by-elections, said Yadagiri Sunil Rao, the city mayor and TRS' election in charge of Nandikona municipality, after Bhagath’s massive win with a margin of over 19,000 votes, on Sunday.
“The young Bhagath defeated senior Congress leader Jana Redy in his stronghold constituency Nagarjunasagar, while the BJP, which boasted of miracles this election, lost its deposit amount,” said Rao, adding that people had voted for TRS after witnessing the large-scale development, and implementation of welfare schemes, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao. He also said that this massive victory was peoples’ gift to the Chief Minister. Rao also conveyed his best wishes to Bhagath, and thanked all leaders and party workers who worked hard for the party's victory in the recently concluded by-elections.
Gangula Kamalakar, the minister for BC welfare, food and civil supplies, expressed his joy after TRS' victory, and stated that people had given their full support to the state government.
“No matter which election, a photo of the Chief Minister is enough for TRS to register victory. This has become evident on many occasions. There is no place for national parties like the Congress and the BJP in TS. The people have given their verdict, and have taught a befitting lesson to both parties,” he said.