'MLC Election Proves Strong Anti-Incumbency Against BRS': Telangana BJP Chief Bandi Sanjay

Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay said the party's win in the MLC election proved that there was strong anti-incumbency against the BRS.

BJP's win in the MLC elections in the Teachers' constituency proved strong anti-incumbency against the BRS, Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay on Friday. BJP-backed candidate AVN Reddy won the Telangana Legislative Council seat from the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers' constituency on Thursday.

Responding to the victory of AVN Reddy, Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay said, "This is the first time in the history of Telangana that the BJP won the MLC seat in the Teachers' constituency. This election proves strong anti-incumbency against the BRS, especially among government employees and the educated sections". 

This election has set the mood for the Assembly elections in November, he further said as quoted by ANI.

AVN Reddy had contested as the candidate of the BJP-affiliated teachers' union.  According to an IANS report, Reddy secured 13,436 votes, crossing the required quota of 12,709 ballots to emerge victorious. He was declared elected after 21 rounds of counting, defeating his nearest rival G. Chennakesava Reddy of the PRTU.

According to returning officer Priyanka Ala, a total of 25,868 votes were cast, and the winning candidate required 12,709 of them. The counting of second-preference votes was started because no candidate received more than 50% of the first-preference votes.

Out of the total of 21 candidates, 19 were eliminated when the counting was stopped on Thursday night. AVN Reddy was leading by 943 votes over Chennakesava Reddy. Polling in the constituency spread over nine districts was held on March 13. A total of 90.40 percent of polling was recorded.

According to officials, a total of 29,720 voters cast their votes.