Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has won the heated-up Munugode contest after counting got completed in 15 rounds. The TRS won on nearest rival BJP by over 10113 votes. Congress failed to secure a deposit and stood at 23864 votes at the end of counting.
In a neck and neck race, TRS candidate K Prabhakar Reddy was leading his nearest rival from BJP K Rajagopal Reddy by a margin of 10201 votes at the end of the 14th round.
At the end of the 13 rounds, TRS had polled 88716 votes while BJP secured 79570 votes. The Congress was at a distant third position with 22449 votes.
The TRS candidate took a lead in the first round by over 1,000 votes but in the second and third rounds, the BJP took the lead to make the contest a tight one. However, the TRS maintained the lead since the fourth round and gradually increased the lead.
Live updates
06:41 pm: TRS trumps BJP by 10113 votes after 15 rounds of counting. BJP stood second with 86485 votes and Congress stood third with 23864 votes.
06:02 pm: TRS leads by 10,201 votes after 14 rounds of counting. TRS bagged 95328 votes followed by BJP at 85127 and Congress at 23626
05:39 pm: TRS leads by 9,146 votes after 13 rounds of counting. TRS won 88716 votes followed by BJP at 79570 and Congress at 22449
05:00 pm: TRS leads BJP by 7801 votes after 12 rounds of counting. TRS is at 82025 votes followed by BJP at 74224, Congress at 21243 and the BSP at 3196 votes.
04:36 pm: TRS workers celebrate Munugode results
04:27 pm: At the end of 11 rounds, TRS is leading by 5801 votes. TRS is at 74,577, BJP is at 68,776 and Congress is at 19,415 votes. Congress loses its deposit.
04:16 pm: After ten rounds of counting TRS leads with 67,363 votes, BJP is at 62,923 votes followed by Congress at 17,627 and BSP at 2626 votes.
04: 03 pm: BJP’s candidate Raj Gopal Reddy has conceded defeat. He claimed that TRS won through illegal means. “One returning officer was suspended for the first time in history. After the deadline, many TRS leaders remained in the assembly segment. Money was distributed on the polling day as well,” he alleged.
03:20 pm: TRS bagged 59,860 votes followed by BJP with 55,908 votes and Congress with 16,280 votes at the end of nine rounds
02:44 pm: TRS leads BJP by 3952 votes after nine rounds of counting
02:41 pm: TRS bagged 52,343 followed by the BJP with 49,243 votes, Congress with 14,596 votes, and the BSP with 2063 votes after eight rounds
02:33 pm: TRS now leads BJP by 3,100 votes after eight rounds of counting
02:00 pm: After seven rounds, TRS’ K Prabhakar Reddy stood first with 45723 votes followed by BJP’s K Rajgopal Reddy with 43155 votes and Congress’ P Sravanthi with 13689 votes. TRS’ lead went up to 2568 votes
01:40 pm: After six rounds, TRS’ K Prabhakar Reddy stood first with 38521 votes followed by BJP’s K Rajgopal Reddy with 36352 votes and Congress’ P Sravanthi with 12025 votes
01:27 pm: TRS leads BJP by 2169 votes after six rounds of counting
01:00 pm: After five rounds, TRS candidate K Prabhakar Reddy 32505 votes, followed by K Rajgopal Reddy with 30974 votes and the Congress stood at number3 with 10063 votes
12:22 pm: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Vikasraj responded to criticism from the BJP and TRS on the delay in announcing roundwise results by saying that counting is done in a transparent way.
11:31 am: TRS candidate Koosukuntla Prabhakar Reddy leading with 26,443 votes after four rounds of counting for Munugode by-election. BJP candidate Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy trailing with 25,729 votes.
10:35 am: After four rounds of counting, TRS leads by 714 votes. A close fight continues between candidates of TRS and BJP.
10:10 am: In the third round of counting, BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy leads
9:30 am: BJP candidate leads in the second round of counting
9 am: TRS candidate Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy leads after the first round of counting
8 am: The counting of votes begins
Munugode exit polls
Earlier, all exit polls predicted that TRS will win the seat with over 40 percent votes. The polls also predicted that BJP and Congress will be in second and third position respectively.
SAS Group, HMR, Third Vision Research and Services, and Trishul Consulting Services have predicted that BJP and Congress will be confined to second and third positions respectively.
There are a total of 47 candidates in the fray but the main contest is among three major players, TRS, BJP and Congress.
The by-poll was necessitated after sitting MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy resigned from the Congress to join the BJP in August.
Reddy is now contesting on the BJP ticket.
The TRS has fielded former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, who had lost to Rajagopal Reddy in 2018.
Congress leader has fielded Palvai Sravanthi Reddy, daughter of former MP Palvai Goverdhan Reddy.
Why is Munugode bypoll considered crucial?
The Munugode byelection has assumed significance as its outcome would give an edge to the winner ahead of next year’s legislative assembly elections.
During the poll campaign, leaders from three parties, TRS, BJP, and Congress were seen leveling allegations against each other.
Political parties left no stone unturned to win the seat. They were even seen promising gold to voters.
