Hyderabad: With stakes high, a multi-political star cast battle is on in the third election in Telangana State.
Unlike in the past when a single leader used to steer the party, all political parties are now roping in their top leaders to win over the voters and polls.
Ruling BRS and Opposition Congress are showering voters with amazing freebies from rice, and houses to gold, leaving voters perplexed while BJP is yet to come out with its promises.
In fact, the BRS government while claiming massive development on all fronts has enhanced freebies drawing flak from Congress for “copy and paste promises.”
KCR pushes KTR, Harish Rao to forefront
Chief Minister and TRS turned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo, K Chandrasekhar Rao who led the Telangana movement in 2001, achieved Statehood in 2014, won 2014, and 2018 assembly elections single-handedly, has for the first-time pushing son and Municipal Administration, IT Minister, K T Rama Rao, and nephew Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao in the forefront. Both are now manning the BRS war room.
KCR, who recovered from health issues, looked weak at recent public meetings, though his tongue-lashing rivals continue unabated.
KCR’s dual contest gives Opposition stick to beat
KCR’s decision to contest from two assembly constituencies —Gajwel and Kamareddy—gave Opposition Congress and BJP the much-needed ammunition that “KCR himself doubts his win.”
Congress is claiming its hawa in the State this time and this has forced BRS to amplify its development of the State and promises.
In the undivided AP, charismatic leaders like N T Rama Rao, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Dr M Channa Reddy, and others led the party to win in the State, and Congress leaders did not bank on its national leaders.
Even in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy quit Congress, floated YSRCP, and single-handedly won AP polls defeating Chandrababu Naidu led TD. But now multiple leaders are trying to woo voters.
Harish back in the reckoning
Chief Minister and family, who had a sweet and sour relationship with Harish Rao, now bank on his organisational skills and have put him in the forefront.
In fact, taking a dialogue from actor Pawan Kalyan’s film, at Siddipet Pragathi Praja Ashirwada Sabha, KCR said Harish Rao changed the landscape of his home town Siddipet and described him as a “Six-foot-tall bullet.”
For son, K T Rama Rao, he said he had done a lot, particularly for the weavers, and asked voters to ensure his big win.
KTR is CM- in -waiting and this was revealed by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
KCR is pulling off all aces up his sleeves in the do-or-die battle.
Congress national leaders in State
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee headed by A Revanth Reddy, which is trying to win the polls this time taking a cue from neighbouring Karnataka, has its national leaders jetting to Hyderabad.
Right from Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi to other top senior Congress leaders are going all out with campaigns and promises, to win the voters on the lines of Karnataka win.
BRS, BJP are one: Rahul
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi who addressed election rallies in Warangal targeted BRS and BJP, alleging both are working in tandem to defeat Congress.
“BJP wants BRS to win. Both are with MIM. If you vote BJP, it’s like voting for BRS and if you vote BRS, you are voting for the B-team of the BJP. MIM is part of this unholy alliance,” Rahul Gandhi alleged.
No cases against KCR
BRS has always supported the BJP government in parliament and “there are no CBI, ED or IT cases against KCR. Whereas there are as many as 24 cases against me,” he alleged.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi launched the party Vijaya Bheri Yatra” in Warangal launching a scathing attack on BRS and BJP. “It’s a battle between Dorala (landlords) Telangana and prajala (people’s) Telangana. Congress gave Telangana despite knowing it would take a political hit.”
Rahul Gandhi exposed K Chandrasekhar Rao failed promises including three acres to landless Dalits, jobs for unemployed youth, and loan waiver to farmers.
BJP begins with a bang; turns to whimper
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit the State with a bang appointing vociferous Bandi Sanjay as State party president, who made a stellar performance in GHMC polls. For some unknown reasons, the party committed a political harakiri removing Bandi Sanjay and appointing Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy.
The decision left the cadre confused, disappointed and created suspicion in the party as well as voters that it was done to please BRS to ensure support in parliament polls or in parliament if BJP fails to muster the required seats.
Added to this, the BRS MLC Kavitha liquor case going slow after BJP promised to put her behind bars, has damaged BJP’s reputation.
Though BJP is trying hard to regain lost ground with top brass of the party right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing public meetings and calling KCR names, the damage has been done for the party in the present polls.
AIMIM led by Asaduddin Owaisi is sitting pretty in its seven assembly constituencies in Hyderabad city and the party is openly backing BRS in other constituencies. For the present, the fight looks more between BRS and Congress.
And till the polls, the voters will be bombarded with high-pitch political speeches, allegations, counter-allegations, and of course gifts galore. And there are unprecedented ayarams and gayarams in all parties.
