‘Aya Rams, Gaya Rams’ had the last laugh in over a dozen Assembly constituencies after the results of Telangana Assembly Elections were out on Sunday.
Notable among the leaders, who had defected to rival parties days before the filing of nominations, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy (Munugode), Gaddam Vivekanand (Chennur – SC) won with convincing margins over their opponents.
For Mr. Rajagopal Reddy and Dr. Vivekanand, it was right decision at the right time. Because, their memories of earlier electoral fight after defection has been bitter. Both of them had crossed over to the Congress from the BJP days after the election notification for the assembly elections was issued.
The defectors from the BRS and BJP to the Congress won the elections with decent margin indicating that the their personal image matter over the party loyalties.
Notable leaders who sailed with the Congress ahead of the elections, such as Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy (Palair), Tummala Nageswara Rao (Khammam), Jupally Krishna Rao triumphed. The duo of Ponguleti and Tummala along with CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka were singularly responsible for the near clean sweep by the Congress in old Khammam district.
Among the defectors from BRS are Vemula Veeresham (Nakrekal), Manda Samuel (Thungathurthy), Koram Kanakaiah (Yellandu), Kasireddy Narayan Reddy (Kalwakurthy) and B. Manohar Reddy (Tandur).
Beleaguered BJP, which was in a shock after a series of defection, could find some solace as its candidates Payal Shanker (Adilabad), Rama Rao Patel (Mudhole) and Aleti Maheshwar Reddy (Nirmal) won their seats convincingly. Maheshwar Reddy was the AICC Programmes Implementation Committee chairman but quit the party to join the BJP. Similarly, Rama Rao Patel was the DCC Nirmal unit chief, but quit the Congress to join the BJP in 2022 end. Payal Shanker too joined the BJP after trying for the BRS ticket from Adilabad.
