The BJP is banking on the anti-incumbency factor that has piled up against KCR since 2014. It is also eyeing the Congress vote bank.
Published Oct 10, 2022 | 7:45 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 10, 2022 | 7:47 PM
Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy at his nomination rally in Munugode on Monday, 10 October, 2022. (Supplied)
The BJP nominee for the Munugode Assembly seat, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, filed his nomination papers on Monday, 10 October, signalling the saffron party’s first decisive move towards realising its bigger dream: capturing power in Telangana in the next Assembly elections in 2023.
Rajagopal Reddy, who reached Returning Officer G Jagannadha Rao’s office with a rally in Chandur, which is the headquarters of Munugode constituency, filed his papers for the seat that he represented in the Telangana Assembly as a Congress member till recently.
His resignation from the party and as a Congress MLA necessitated the present by-election.
The BJP considers acquiring the seat very important as the outcome of the by-election would indicate which way the winds of change are blowing ahead of the day of judgement in 2023.
Rajagopal Reddy was accompanied by party senior leaders Tarun Chug, Sunil Bansal, G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Eatala Rajender, M Ragunanadan Rao, and G Venkat Swamy.
आज भाजपा नेतृत्व के समर्थन से मुनुगोड़े उपचुनाव के लिए अपना नामांकन पत्र दाखिल किया है। टीआरएस के बढ़ते भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ़ छिड़ी इस जंग में मुनुगोड़े की जनता अवश्य मेरा साथ देगी। जनता और @BJP4India के उच्च नेतृत्व के इस विश्वास को जीत में बदलने का मेरा संकल्प है। pic.twitter.com/W66FSX5gMW
— Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy (@rajgopalreddy_K) October 10, 2022
After filing his nomination papers, Rajagopal Reddy dared Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to contest against him from Munugode, predicting that the outcome of the by-election would decide the fate of the state.
“It would be better if KCR leaves the state for good in the aircraft that he is purchasing,” he said, claiming that people would not spare the KCR family for bleeding the state dry to fill their personal coffers.
BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said: “After Rajagopal resigned his seat in the Assembly, KCR was forced to come out. How did KCR amass so much wealth to buy an aircraft? He is trying to mortgage the entire state for personal benefit.”
The BJP is banking on the anti-incumbency factor that has piled up against KCR since 2014. It is also trying to cut into the vote bank of the Congress, which is quite significant as Munugode has traditionally been a Congress bastion.
నేడు మునుగోడు ఉపఎన్నికల్లో బీజేపీ @BJP4India పక్షాన నామినేషన్ వేసేందుకు బయలుదేరిన నన్ను అశేషంగా విచ్చేసి ఆశీర్వదించిన మునుగోడు ప్రజలకు కృతజ్ఞతలు. ఇదే స్ఫూర్తితో ముందుకు వెళితే విజయం మనదే. pic.twitter.com/SrXfHDiNQd
— Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy (@rajgopalreddy_K) October 10, 2022
As Rajagopal Reddy does not lack resources, it is expected that he would not lag in the contest with the TRS in splurging money to win the hearts of the voters.
The extent that his admission in an interview to a TV channel, that he had obtained ₹18,000 crore worth of work contracts from the Centre, would dampen his prospects of winning the seat is being keenly watched.
The TRS is already going to town, painting Rajagopal Reddy as corrupt and claiming he had switched loyalty to the BJP for pecuniary considerations.
On Sunday, a delegation of the TRS made a representation to Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj at his residence in SR Nagar with a request to disqualify Rajagopal Reddy, as he on his own volition had admitted to being awarded Central government projects.
They argued that it was a clear case of quid pro quo: the BJP favouring him for winning a seat for it in Telangana.
The delegation — consisting of MP Badugula Lingaiah Yadav and a few MLAs — complained to the EC official that Rajagopal Reddy was making a mockery of democracy with the money that he had “earned” from the BJP.
The delegation said he reportedly promised to pay part of his funds to BJP legislator Eatala Rajender and leader Vivek Venkata Swamy.
