TRS Wins Palair Election By Record Margin

As widely expected, the ruling TRS' candidate Thummala Nageswara Rao on Thursday won the Palair Assembly seat by-election, by a record margin of 45,650 votes. The highest majority by which a candidate won in the constituency was 24,000 votes earlier, back in 1972.

While R&B minister Thummala secured over 95,000 votes, the Congress candidate Sucharita Reddy, wife of the late Ramreddy Venkat Reddy, the sitting MLA who passed away, could get barely half of the votes polled by the ruling party nominee. Notably, Reddy was supported by the TDP and BJP. There clearly was no sympathy wave.

Speaking to the media after his cake-walk victory, Thummala said that the responsibility he felt towards the people had increased with the win. Expressing gratitude to the voters for supporting his candidature, he vowed that he would spare no efforts in making Palair an ideal constituency. Needless to say, he also attributed his massive win to the welfare programs being implemented by the K Chandrashekar Rao government.

Chief Minister KCR himself said that it was a clear mandate for the TRS government's administration and its developmental programs. He thanked the people, and the party cadre in the constituency in particular. Congratulating his cabinet colleague Thummala, he promised that his government would always strive to meet the expectations of the people.

He also rebuked the Opposition Congress for its baseless criticism of the TRS, and advised it to learn lessons from the Palair by-election result.