Split Opposition to aid Telangana Rashtra Samithi

 

In the May 2014 general elections, which was dominated by the Telangana sentiment, Warangal saw 78.54 per cent voting and TRS nominee Kadiam Srihari won with a 3.92-lakh vote margin over the Congress’s Siricilla Rajaiah.

 

Mr Srihari secured 56.33 per cent of the votes, the Congress 22.91 and the BJP 15.93 per cent. After 18 months, however, there are neither emotive issues nor any justification from the TRS for causing the bypoll with Mr Srihari’s resignation.

 

 

The TRS is placed the strongest; It had won six of the seven Assembly segments at Warangal, and the party has emerged stronger. It has lured important leaders by promising them nominated posts. It has drafted almost the entire Cabinet and money for the campaign. TRS cadre have been set targets to mobilise voters to polling stations.

 

“The last time I got 57 per cent of the votes, this time too the TRS candidate will win with over 50 per cent,” Mr Srihari told this newspaper. 

Compared to this, the Opposition is divided.

 

The Left and YSRC which did not contest in 2014 have now put up candidates, and may divide the anti-establishment votes of the Congress and the TD-supported BJP.

 

There was an effort to put up an Independent candidate supported by all Opposition parties but this was abandoned. The parties did not explain why.

 

There was response, however, for the Opposition campaign on price rise, non-implementation of several promises made by TRS government and more particularly their charge of “family rule” of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

 

The Opposition campaign was buoyed when voters quizzed TRS ministers and showed their anger at Mr Rao, who addressed only one election meeting.

 

The Congress drafted senior leaders to campaign for Sarve Satyan-arayana. The BJP which has fielded Dr Pagidi-pati Devaiah, an NRI settled in the US, did not explain why top leaders like Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu from BJP, AP Chief Minister and TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu and Mr Nara Lokesh did not campaign.

 

For the YSRC, Ms Y.S. Sharmila, star campaigner for the party in Telangana, was not seen and party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy drew crowds in his first campaign in the area.

 

If the Congress can improve its vote percentage, its campaign in the Narayankhed Asse-mbly byelection and the GHMC polls will get a boost.