While the counting ended last night and Ramgopal Reddy was declared the winner for Anantapur-Kurnool-Kadapa Graduates seat, the YSRCP candidate V Raveendra Reddy who was leading at the beginning and former MLA K Viswesvara Reddy began protesting claiming that YSRCP votes were put in TDP bundles which were later put back and demanded recounting.
Suspecting foul play, the TDP leaders started protesting and alleged that the Returning Officer had left counting premises without giving the certificate of election. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu then wrote a letter to the ECI blaming Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the delay in issuing the declaration certificate.
“It is learnt that the declaration certificate is withheld due to pressure from the chief minister Mr Jaganmohan Reddy and his office. Therefore, it is requested to ensure the election declaration certificate is immediately handed over to the winning candidate, Shri Bhumireddy Ramgopal Reddy without further delay,” he wrote.
Meanwhile TDP leaders started a sit-in demonstration at the entrance gate of the JNTU college, the counting centre. The vehicles of the collector and joint collector were stranded leading the police to intervene and take the leaders into custody. Finally, Ramgopal Reddy was handed over the certificate today morning.
The magic figure of 1,13,224 was required to win by the first preference vote but the YSRCP candidate who led at the beginning could manage only 95,969 votes. TDP’s understanding with Progressive Democratic Front over the second preference vote to keep the anti YSRCP vote intact helped its candidate to turn the table and win the election.