Andhra gets new MLA before polls: YSRP’s Tippeswamy sworn in after legal victory

With months to go for the Assembly Elections in Andhra, YSRCP’s M Tippeswamy has been sworn in as MLA of Madakasira constituency in Ananthapur district on Wednesday. This comes after the Supreme Court on December 14 upheld the High Court’s order annulling the election of TDP candidate K Eranna, who was found guilty of providing false information to the Election Commission.  

Tippeswamy was sworn in at the Speakers office in the Andhra Assembly in Velagapudi Amaravati in the presence of Speaker Dr Kodela Siva Prasada Rao. Following his swearing in, Tippeswamy thanked the speaker for acknowledging his candidature as MLA.

Speaking to the media Tippeswamy said he had always had the faith in the country's judiciary system as it stands by the truth. He dedicated his victory to the people of Madakasira, stating, "When we filed the petition in the court after elections, we believed that justice will win compulsorily."

Following Tippeswamy’s swearing in, the number of YSRCP MLAs has increased to 45. Although the party won 67 seats in 2014 as many as 22 MLAs have defected to ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), while Kidari Someshwara Rao was killed by Maoists in September

Tippeswamy approached the Hyderabad High Court soon after losing to Eranna by a margin of 14,636 votes in the 2014 Assembly Elections, alleging that the TDP candidate deliberately made false claims in his election affidavit. Tippeswamy alleged that Eranna deliberately concealed details pertaining to a criminal case in Karnataka, in which he is an accused. He also declared his wife’s profession as homemaker when in fact she is a state government employee. The YSRCP candidate sought Eranna’s disqualification for violating Representation of People’s Act, 1950.

However, it took four-and-half years to get the final verdict on the matter. In November, the High Court in Hyderabad annulled Eranna’s election after finding the TDP candidate guilty of misrepresentation of facts. When the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition filed by Eranna on December 14, the TDP leader had no option but to resign the same day.