The BJP’s calculated gamble prior to the assembly elections somewhat backfired in Telangana as the TRS secured a comfortable victory in Munugode assembly by-poll with over 10,000 votes while the Congress which held the seat previously was wiped out as its candidate lost her deposit.
It is the Left parties which saved the day for the TRS since it was their considerable vote bank which sided with the ruling party and helped it to secure a win in this crucial by-poll.
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In the first four rounds, the BJP and the TRS went neck and neck but after the fourth round, the TRS steadily increased its lead. BJP leaders in-charge of the poll knew the signs were ominous as their candidate failed to secure a big lead in Choutuppal area.
The BJP leaders had hoped to secure a lead of at least 5,000 votes in Choutuppal in order to offset the massive gain of the TRS from areas like Marriguda. The Left parties still have quite a bit of influence in Nalgonda but Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s move to secure their support helped the TRS this time.
In the last Assembly election, the Left parties had supported the Congress which enabled its candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy to win the seat. No wonder Reddy who conceded defeat and left the counting centre after 12th round blamed the Left parties for ‘selling’ themselves to KCR for his defeat. The TRS candidate secured 96598 votes. The BJP got 86,485 votes while the Congress only 23,864 votes.
Soon after being elected in 2018, K Rajagopal Reddy had been making noises about joining the BJP. In Nalgonda district in southern Telangana, the BJP was considerably weak as the area was dominated mostly by the TRS and the Congress.
With Rajagopal Reddy’s considerable influence in the area, the BJP decided to go for a gamble and secure some advantage prior to the assembly elections slated for next year. If it had won, it would have put the TRS at a considerable disadvantage and the morale of BJP cadres and supporters would have been sky high.
A loss at Munugode would also have put paid to KCR’s ambitions at the national level. The TRS and the Congress leaders allege a mining contract worth Rs 18,000 crore to his company helped Rajagopal Reddy to make up his mind about joining the BJP in August this year.
“BJP lost the elections because of their arrogance. Though Rajagopal Reddy was the face of the BJP in this election, the real control was in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Narendra Modi,” said TRS working president KT Rama Rao.
Although the Congress has been reduced to third position, many wonder about the future of Komatireddy brothers who had politically dominated the area for the past few decades. Older brother Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is still the Congress MP from Bhongir though he too had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and recently was showcaused by the Congress for going against the party.
Earlier in the day, the BJP leaders complained about the unprecedented delay in uploading the results. BJP state unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) was not updating round wise results unless the TRS gets a lead and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy even called up CEO Vikas Raj to register his complaint.
