The BJP on Friday claimed that there was strong anti-incumbency against the BRS Government in Telangana, particularly among government employees and educated section of the society after the candidate it had backed in the MLC elections for Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers’ constituency secured a firm victory.

However, the BRS maintained it had not fielded any candidate for the MLC seat, so there was no question of BJP defeating the BRS. After the defeat in Munugode bypoll the win would boost BJP’s morale ahead of the Assembly elections slated to be held at the end of this year.

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A Venkat Narayana Reddy of BJP affiliated teachers’ union was declared elected after he secured 13,436 votes, crossing the required 12,709 votes for his victory after 21 rounds of counting. He defeated his nearest rival G Chennakeshava Reddy of PRTU who is said to be backed by the BRS.

Congratulating the victorious candidate and BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar for the win Union home minister Amit Shah took to Twitter and wrote: “This victory shows that Telangana people are fed up with corruption and want a pro-poor, transparent government under Modiji’s leadership,” said Union home minister Amit Shah. BJP national president JP Nadda, its national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh also tweeted over the victory secured by the BJP backed candidate.

Bandi Sanjay said it was a historic win for his party. “This election proves the strong anti-incumbency against the BR, especially among government employees and the educated sections of the society. This election has set the mood for the Assembly elections in November,” he added.

However BRS spokesperson M Krishank accused Bandi Sanjay of trying to take credit by projecting it as BJP’s win over BRS to get his term as state president extended. “BRS did not contest, did not field any candidate, did not even tweet in support for any candidate in the recently conducted Teachers’ Legislative Council seat polls,” he said. He also accused the BJP of calling off the Secunderabad Cantonment elections due to apprehensions of defeat.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the ruling YSRCP is facing an embarrassing defeat in two of the graduate constituencies in MLC elections with TDP putting up a good performance. Although the YSRCP has won four seats from local bodies constituencies and two seats in teachers’ constituencies it is leading in only West Rayalaseema graduate seat with Uttar Andhra and East Rayalaseema poised towards TDP. The Opposition parties have linked the YSRCP’s shocking performance to the three capital plan of the state government.