Tight contest as candidates await results

Karimnagar: The graduate MLC elections held on Thursday across the Karimnagar-Adilabad-Medak-Nizamabad region have left everyone guessing about the outcome. With an unpredictable polling pattern, each candidate remains hopeful of victory in this closely contested race.

The Congress-backed candidate, Narender Reddy, head of Alphores Educational Institutions, has been cautious throughout the campaign. His strategy involved mobilising his own cadre, leveraging the Congress party network, and securing support from students and their parents. The three public meetings organised by CM Revanth Reddy in a single day have provided a boost to his confidence.

Moreover, he is confident that students of his educational institutions and their parents have also supported him.

On the other hand, BJP candidate Anji Reddy is relying on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s influence, party ideology, and his past social service activities. He is said to have strong backing from Union Ministers Bandi Sanjay and Kishan Reddy, as well as BJP district and mandal leaders.

He believes that many votes have been cast in favour of the BJP in the western and eastern parts of Karimnagar, Nizamabad, and Adilabad districts.

Meanwhile, BSP-backed candidate Prasanna Harikrishna, who hails from the Gowda community, has focused on a strong BC representation in his campaign. He claims to have received widespread support from BC, SC, and ST voters, making him optimistic about his chances.

Adding to the complexity of the contest, former mayor Sardar Ravinder Singh, former TRSMA President Yadagiri Shekhar Rao, and Laksh International School Chairman Mustaq have also attracted a significant number of votes, causing a vote split.

With a high voter turnout among graduates, uncertainty remains over who will benefit the most, especially in terms of second-preference votes. The intense three-way battle between Narender Reddy, Prasanna Harikrishna, and Anji Reddy has left the final result unpredictable.