Graduates Council seat: Preference that could make a big difference

Warangal: With too many candidates running for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduate council seat, apparently the focus of the contestants was on the second preferential vote which in all probability could make a huge difference in the outcome of the election.

This was evident on Sunday's polling with the contestants and their followers were seen going all out to muster the second preferential vote, if not the first. Indeed, a desperate effort.

According to the system, a candidate must secure 50 per cent of polled votes to win the election. Presumed it does not happen after the counting of first preferential votes, the counting of second preferential votes takes place. Likewise, this procedure will be repeated if a candidate fails to win even after adding the second preferential votes. It may be recollected here that TRS candidate Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, who is seeking reelection, had in 2015 registered his victory only after adding the second preferential votes to his tally.

The ground situation reflects a perplexing scenario with the heavyweights like - Palla (TRS), G Premender Reddy (BJP), S Ramulu Naik (Congress), Prof Kodandaram (TJS) and Rani Rudrama (Yuva Telangana) – were among the 71 candidates in the fray for the Grads Council seat. Against this backdrop, the candidates and their supporters made a desperate effort to woo the voters right from the Saturday night, virtually begging them, seeking their second preferential vote.

Although the three major parties - TRS, BJP and Congress – have the advantage of their vote bank, sometimes it also works against them when they want to see the others' defeat. They want their arch-rivals to also sink, in case they receive an adverse mandate. Certainly, the TRS does not want its arch-rivals BJP or Congress to win the election. Similarly, the BJP and the Congress want the others to win. In this scenario, Prof Kodandaram or Rani Rudrama has every chance to triumph by mustering the second preferential vote, especially from the supporters of the three major parties. It was evident in the case of Prof K Nageshwar, who was elected to the Council twice as an Independent in 2007 and 2009 polls. Against this backdrop, the three major parties have reportedly chalked out their own plans and told their supporters, whom to cast their second preferential vote or abstain from it.