Explainer | How dark horses may mar chances of party candidates in TS' MLC polls

HYDERABAD: While all the major parties are expressing confidence about winning the two graduate constituencies of the Legislative Council going to the polls on March 14, there are certain candidates who may mar their chances of victory.

Analysts, however, say with young graduates being a major factor in the graduate MLC elections from Khammam-Nalgonda-Warangal and Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar constituencies, ideologies may mar the chances of political party candidates.

Among the candidates is Prof. Kodandaram who played an active role in the Telangana movement. As chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee, he coordinated with all political parties and employees unions and in the fight for statehood. Another leader, Cheruku Sudhakar, was booked under Preventive Detention Act and sent to jail for his active participation in the Telangana movement.

Also, new voices and agendas have emerged during the campaign. Dalit, Bahujan and Backward Class people form part of these groups.

Dalit Shakthi Programme (DSP) founder Ch Visharadhan and its state committee have decided to contest both the seats. The DSP has been working within Dalit and Backward Class people for 12 years. They are propagating among their cadre ideology of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule and Kanshi Ram.

Analysts feel with different factors working, a silent wave could emerge in the graduate MLC elections. Thus, political parties cannot be complacent about their victory.

Ruling TRS and opposition Congress and BJP are going all out campaigning in the two constituencies of Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar and Khammam-Warangal-Nalgonda constituencies. Ministers, MPs and MLAs of TRS, apart from senior leaders have been appointed as election in-charges and are busy campaigning in their respective areas.

So are opposition parties. The Congress is attacking both the state and Union governments for their alleged failure on various fronts. The BJP is attacking the ruling party on the unemployment front.

Senior leaders of political parties are worried over covering the huge area, with the graduate constituencies covering almost 75 per cent of the state. These regions have 77 MLAs representing them. This is the biggest challenge for political parties, particularly the Opposition ones as also the cash-strapped smaller parties and independents.