The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Nageshwar wins MLC poll

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Tuesday, Feb 10, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Nageshwar wins MLC poll

Trounces BJP’s N. Ramachandra Rao by 436 votes in Graduates’ constituency

-PHOTO: P. V. SIVAKUMAR

PROUD WINNER: An elated K. Nageshwar (left) hugs N. Ramachandra Rao after his victory late on Monday night.

HYDERABAD: In a close contest, Independent candidate K. Nageshwar, supported by several parties and organisations, won against BJP’s N. Ramachandra Rao by 436 votes in the Graduates’ constituency for the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy and Mahabubnagar districts.

Returning Officer and GHMC Commissioner S.P. Singh announced the winner around midnight after completion of eight rounds of counting of preferential votes. Half-an-hour before, Mr. Rao, who polled 25,607 votes, conceded defeat and congratulated Dr. Nageshwar, who got 26,403 votes.

The winning candidate has to get 50 per cent votes of the 52,398 valid votes polled, later 748 of these were left out of counting on technical reason. Total votes polled were 57,303 and invalid among them were 4,905.

Preferential votes

Dr. Nageshwar’s victory, although he was leading for most part of the day, came through only after the preferential votes’ counting was taken up.

Tension mounts

Tension mounted as dusk set in the counting centre of Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy stadium, Yousufguda, when counting of preferential votes was taken up.

At one stage, the BJP candidate protested over counting of some votes but it subsided.

Earlier, the counting process began at 1.30 p.m. From the beginning it was clear that it was a straight contest between both as Dr. Nageshwar polled 24,763 votes and Mr. Rao polled 24,466 votes when five rounds of counting were completed after which preferential votes were taken up.

This will be the second straight win for the teacher from OU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

He will enjoy a full-fledged six year term.

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