Munugode results show BJP establishing iself in Telangana: senior leader G Vivek Venkatswamy

The results of the Munugode bypolls show that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is establishing itself in Telangana, party's senior leader G Vivek Venkatswamy said.

In a conversation with ANI, Venkatswamy said that the BJP has strengthened in South Telangana.

"BJP has strengthened in South Telangana. In Munugode result, it was clearly seen that BJP is establishing in Telangana; earlier KCR used to say that there is no scope of BJP in south Telangana, BJP Senior leader G Vivek Venkatswamy said mentioning that the party lost these bypolls with 10,000 votes.

He also said that around 100 legislators came to one consistency (Munugodu) and campaigned for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

"The TRS had announced and given many schemes and influenced the votes for BC, SC castes. They also announced the SC reservation. They even offered Rs 5,000 per vote, he alleged adding that the BJP gaining 86,000 votes is a positive sign.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidate Koosukuntla Prabhakar Reddy won the Munugode bypolls in Telangana by a margin of 10,309 votes on Sunday.

According to the Election Commission, Prabhakar Reddy secured 97,006 votes amounting to a vote share of 42.95 per cent. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy came second with 38.38 per cent of votes.

As the TRS managed to win the Munugode bypoll, the party's state working president KT Rama Rao on Sunday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that it failed to stop the TRS.

TRS leader K Prabhakar Reddy won the bypoll with a majority of 10,309 votes defeating BJP's candidate Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy.

"This bye-election was forced on Munugode people by Delhi bosses - Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi," KTR said.

The BJP should have the courage to accept defeat, KTR said. He also congratulated the people of Munugode for supporting the TRS.

He also claimed that BJP spent hundreds of crores to win the election. Meanwhile, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay said that the party respects the verdict of the people of Munugode.

Addressing the media at the BJP State office, Bandi Sanjay said that BJP candidate Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy fought this election like a hero.

"We will respect the verdict of the people of Munugode. BJP candidate Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy fought this election like a hero. No matter how many threats were made by the ruling party, BJP workers worked unyieldingly."

BJP Munugode candidate Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy on Sunday alleged that he was threatened by the ruling TRS government.

"Despite these challenges we fought, TRS' victory is fake, BJP was winning. We respect the verdict of Munugode public, but we don't accept those who have got votes in a wrong manner," the BJP leader said.

"State government used its power and threatened us. That's how TRS won. Police officers are in KCR's hands... We were threatened cases will be filed against us if we don't change party," Rajagopal Reddy claimed.

Assembly bye-elections were held in seven vacant seats spread across the states of Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh on November 3.

( With inputs from ANI )