 Komireddi went ahead and contested the 1985 election from Metpalli as an independent, winning 22.31 percent of the vote to Vidyasagar Rao's 22.88 percent.It was a narrow victory for Rao, an outsider, and a second defeat for Komireddi, a native of Metpalli.Reacting to reports of malfeasance in the ballot-counting, Komireddi sought, and was promptly denied, a recount, and consequently, he took the matter to the Supreme Court of India, which upheld the election.