The defeat of Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidate in the by-elections to Dubbak assembly seat in the hands of Bharatiya Janata Party was definitely a setback to the ruling party, which went all out to win the seat.
But TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday sought to create an impression that there was no need for any panic reaction in the party and that it was freak victory for the BJP.
KCR held a brain-storming meeting with the senior party leaders at Pragati Bhavan to review the outcome of the Dubbak byelections. Several ministers, MLAs and party general secretaries attended the meeting.
The TRS chief told the party leaders that the defeat was definitely a minor setback to the party, but there was no need for them to unduly worry about the result.
“Don’t blow the victory of the BJP candidate out of proportion. It is just a freak victory for them,” he said.
KCR opined that the BJP candidate gained the sympathy of voters as he had lost the elections consecutively in the constituency.
“The BJP also hoodwinked the people by spreading lies about the state government,” he said.
The chief minister felt that there was absolutely no anti-establishment feeling among the people of the state.
“So, there is no need to worry about the BJP’s growth in the state. We have to, however, continue to expose the BJP and nail its lies with vigorous campaign among the people,” he said.