A do or die battle for BRS, bragging rights opportunity for Congress, BJP
Hyderabad: The Medak Lok Sabha constituency, a stronghold of the BRS for nearly 20 years, could prove pivotal for the party's future, either bolstering its position or leading to its downfall after the Lok Sabha elections.
For the BRS, winning the seat signifies survival and validates its claim as a party representing Telangana's interests, championed by its leaders, led by party president and former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
For the Congress and BJP, the primary contenders among 44 contestants, the May 13 vote is not just about wresting the seat from the BRS but also about challenging Chandrashekar Rao's influence, especially as his Gajwel Assembly segment is part of Medak Lok Sabha constituency.
Apart from the potential bragging rights, the outcome carries serious sentimental value, especially for the Congress and BRS. For the Congress, it's about recapturing the spirit of Indira Gandhi, who won from Medak in 1980, marking her return to power as Prime Minister. For the BRS, it's about defending Chandrashekar Rao's home turf, a constituency they cannot afford to lose.
The Congress campaign is focusing on 'Indiramma Rajyam' that it has ushered in Telangana after the last Assembly elections and targets BRS candidate P. Venkatram Reddy, a former district collector who joined the BRS after resigning from service. The Congress, which fielded Neelam Madhu as its candidate, contends that Venkatram Reddy had a run of the field as district collector and served as an agent for the BRS during its rule and was the then ruling party’s enforcer.
On this issue, the BJP and its candidate M. Rahgunandan Rao too has adopted a similar line. Both the Congress and the BJP have targeted Venkatram Reddy while firmly directing their attacks on Chandrashekar Rao, the former district collector’s political mentor.
The BRS' deployment of T. Harish Rao, Chandrashekar Rao's trusted lieutenant, and the BRS chief addressing three roadshow meetings in the constituency - in Medak on Tuesday, followed by one in Narsapur and Patancheru on Wednesday - shows how important Medak is for the BRS. Despite winning six of seven Assembly segments in the last state elections, BRS anticipates a tough battle with a resurgent Congress and a determined BJP.
Amidst this political maneuvering, crucial constituency issues like the long-pending electrification of the Medak-Manoharabad railway line and the upgrade of Medak railway station into a junction, along with environmental concerns in the Patancheru Assembly segment, have been overlooked in campaign speeches.