Party’s state secretary said- BJP’s vote share increased in MLC elections

VIJAYAWADA: Claiming that it has gained strength in the State, the BJP on Sunday said it secured 11.56% of votes in the just concluded elections to the Legislative Council, which is higher than what it got in the previous polls.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, BJP State general secretary S Vishnuvardhan Reddy said the party contested all the byelections in the State. It also contested the MLC elections and improved its vote share, he said.

He took exception to YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy’s comments that graduates were not in the list of beneficiaries of welfare schemes and that was why the party could not win the graduates’ MLC seats. “The graduates did not vote to the YSRC as they have learnt that the government is giving back their own money in the name of welfare schemes and freebies,’’ he observed.

“The YSRC has lost the confidence of the people in the pre-finals. It is an indication that the people of the State are seeking a change,’’ he said, adding that the electorate of North Andhra did not believe the ruling YSRC.