Raghunandan Rao describes Dubbak bypoll victory as referendum on the rule of KCR

Hyderabad: M. Raghunandan Rao, winner of the Dubbak bypoll, mockingly dedicated his victory of Siddipet police commissioner Joel Davis on Tuesday. The official had led the raid on the BJP candidate’s relatives’ houses midway through the campaign, and reportedly unearthed hidden cash.

Speaking to the media at the counting centre at Siddipet after his victory, Raghunandan Rao sacrastically thanked the Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissioners for their help in his victory. The Hyderabad and Cyberabad police had seized money allegedly belonging to the BJP candidate’s aides and relatives.

Striking a more serious note, Raghunandan Rao said the victory was not his alone. Union minister of state G. Kishan Reddy, BJP vice-president D.K. Aruna, TS party president Bandi Sanjay, MPs D. Arvind and Soyam Bapu Rao, former MLA Babu Mohan and other leaders who campaigned for him had all contributed to the victory.

He said that he would develop Dubbak and serve the people in good faith.

Raghunandan Rao described the victory as a referendum on the rule of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. The Dubbaka result was a lesson to the Chief Minister, he said. He recounted how the TRS had harassed him and his family and said the election outcome was the best reply he could give them.

Responding to the taunting question — “where is the BJP” — often posed by TRS leaders during the campaign, Raghunandan Rao said: “The BJP a kilometre from Gajwel (The CM’s constituency), 2 km from Sircilla (represented by K.T. Rama Rao) and 1 km from Siddipet (T. Harish Rao’s Assembly seat).

“With the boost received in Dubbak, the BJP will work hard to win power in the 2023 Assembly elections,” Raghunandan Rao said.