True to its claims, the ruling TRS surpassed its majority of 3,92,574 secured in the last general elections by increasing it to 4,59,092 in the by-election to Warangal Lok Sabha constituency here on Tuesday.
Party candidate Pasunuri Dayakar won the election with a thumping majority, leaving his rivals Sarve Satyanarayana (Congress), who secured just 1,56,315 votes, and BJP-TDP candidate Pagidipati Devaiah, who polled 1,30,178, dumb-struck. Both Congress and BJP-TDP combine nominees forfeited their deposits. Right from round one, the TRS candidate forged a lead and there was no looking back till the last vote was counted. The ruling party gained unassailable lead over its rivals in all seven Assembly segments.
The voters did not buy the argument that the ruling party had failed in fulfilling its promises and did not seem to be in ‘a hurry’ in judging the 17-month-old TRS government as the Opposition parties did. The Opposition parties could not match the campaign strategy of the TRS, which had succeeded in impressing the voters that there was enough time to deliver on promises. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s statement asking people to punish the ruling party in case they had no belief in him or ensure victory if they had faith in the party went well with the masses.
