Congress Wins Telangana MLC By-Election In Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates Constituency

The vote counting process for the MLC Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates Constituency, which began at 8 AM on June 5, concluded at 10:30 PM on June 7.

The ruling Congress party in Telangana emerged victorious in the by-election for the Legislative Council Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates Constituency. Chintapandu Naveen, popularly known as Teenmaar Mallanna, defeated his closest competitor, Rakesh Reddy of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

The defeat is a significant setback for BRS as the party strives to bounce back from its substantial loss in the 2024 Telangana Lok Sabha Elections. However, this vacancy also emerged following the resignation of Dr. Palla Rajeshwar Reddy of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in December last year, after his election to the Assembly from the Jangaon constituency, as per a report on IANS.

Mallanna's win was confirmed late on Friday night after he led Rakesh Reddy by over 14,000 second-preference votes. Returning Officer Dasan Harichandana officially handed over the election certificate to Mallanna past midnight. Detailed results, including the specific votes secured by each candidate, are expected to be announced later in the day.

The vote counting process, which began at 8 AM on June 5, concluded at 10:30 PM on June 7. The decisive moment came after the elimination of BJP candidate G. Premender Reddy, when Mallanna secured an unassailable lead. Celebrations erupted among Mallanna and his supporters as the victory became apparent.

Mallana joined the Congress in November last year, shortly before the Assembly elections, after separating from the BJP a few months prior.

Despite the loss, Rakesh Reddy stated that it was a moral victory for him and his party. The process of counting second-preference votes, which began on Thursday night, extended into Friday, reflecting the intense scrutiny and effort involved in the election.

Approximately 2,800 election staff worked for 62 hours to count a total of 336,013 votes at the counting center in Nalgonda. The by-election, held on May 27, saw a voter turnout of 72.44 percent, with ballot papers used for polling.