Munugode bypoll: Counting of votes progressing smoothly, clarifies CEO clarifies following BJP’s objections

Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj was reacting to complaints from the BJP leaders that secrecy was being maintained in revealing the results roundwise

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj has asserted that counting of votes in Munugode Assembly constituency was progressing smoothly.

He said the process would be completed without any delay. There was no scope for any lacunae in counting and the entire process was being carried out with transparency.

The CEO was reacting to complaints from the BJP leaders that secrecy was being maintained in revealing the results roundwise. He clarified that counting was taking time as there were several contestants for the bypoll including over three dozen independents. Observers and counting agents were deployed at all tables and counting was being monitored constantly.

Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) candidate K. Prabhakar Reddy is leading with a slender margin of 1,531 votes over his nearest BJP rival K. Rajgopal Reddy at the end of fifth round of counting. The TRS candidate had been maintaining a thin lead since the first round.

The high stakes Munugode bypoll lived up to its reputation even in counting with top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Union Minister G.Kishan Reddy, Telangana party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Rajya Sabha MP K. Laxman taking objection to the manner in which the Election Commission (EC) was declaring roundwise results.

Their contention was that the EC had disclosed the ruling TRS leading in round 1, 3 and 5 while not showing the results of round 2 and 4 where the BJP was leading. In fact, the Union Minister and BJP MLA Eatala Rajender even called up the Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj to question the delay in uploading results on the website and sought immediate rectification.

The CEO then declared the roundwise results but not before taking flak from the BJP leaders for allowing “questionable” and “doubtful” decisions” during the counting. They said that a complaint will be lodged with the Central Election Commission (CEC) if they do find anything amiss in the counting process. Mr. Laxman went to the extent of accusing the CEO of taking orders from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) before releasing the roundwise results.