The recent Telangana Assembly polls indicate immense TRS victory with TRS Chief bagging Gajwel seat and party member T Harish Rao winning from Siddipet with the highest margin defeating Congress Revanth Reddy who contested from Kodangal where TRS emerged victorious.
Congress-led Prajakutami alliance failed to breach the TRS bastion in Telangana state this Assembly election. TRS won for the second consecutive term after winning the 2014 elections shortly after the state’s bifurcation.
The reason behind such a big mandate to the TRS may be because of the Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Reddy, Lambada and Muslim communities who voted overwhelmingly for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in the 88 Assembly constituencies that the party won.
Approximately 52 per cent of Backward Classes, about 30 per cent Reddy, over 80 per cent Lambadas, 45 per cent SCs and approximately 30 per cent Muslims voted for the TRS in this elections.
Gouds and Mudiraj (fishermen) also benefitted from various community specific schemes. About 6 lakh Yadava families were covered under the sheep distribution scheme while at least 45 per cent of Munneru Kapus, mostly farmers, benefitted from the Rythu Bandhu scheme.
Excluding the seven seats in Hyderabad with 15-20 per cent or more Muslim population, the Muslim community also voted overwhelmingly for TRS in at least 24 Assembly segments across Telangana.
The AIMIM’s support to TRS outside Hyderabad also translated into huge gains for the TRS. Due to minority-specific schemes like ‘shadi mubarak’, salaries to muezzins and imams, and opening of minority residential schools providing free education to Muslim students there is a pro-TRS feeling.