Hyderabad: As the nomination phase in the Assembly elections slated for next month is coming to an end on Monday, all major political parties are preparing to intensify their election campaigns by deploying their star campaigners in the state.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) supremo and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will go on the stump for a week and address 28 public meetings and cover about 66 of the 119 constituencies in the state.
Former Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi is slated to campaign in Telangana state on November 23.
The BJP has announced that as many as 40 star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and 20 Union ministers will be campaigning in the state.
Mr Rao will start his campaign by boarding a helicopter at 1.30 pm on Monday at his farmhouse in Erravalli, after completion of the Rudra Sahitha Chandi Homam at 11.40 pm, which began on Sunday.
He will hold one public meeting in every two Assembly constituencies with the objective of covering at least 100 constituencies before December 5.
On November 19, Mr Rao will address two public meetings, at Khammam and at Palakurthy (Jangaon constituency), and will participate in public meetings at Dubbak, Huzurabad, Sircilla and Yellareddy on November 20.
Mr Rao will also address public meetings at Jadcherla, Devarakonda, Nakrekal, Bhongir and Medak on November 21.
On November 22, the Chief Minister will continue with the poll campaign at Khanapur, Itchoda (Boath constituency), Nirmal, Mudhole and Armoor constituencies. He will participate in public meetings at Narsampet, Mahbubabad, Dornakal, Suryapet, Thungathurti and Jangaon on November 23, and will address public meetings at Tandur, Parigi, Narayanpet, Devarakadra, Shadnagar and Ibrahimpatnam constituencies on November 25.
Ms Sonia Gandhi will address a public meeting in Medchal constituency on November 23. Congress leaders are hoping her visit will have an impact on voters in Telangana state as they have sympathy and respect for her as the separate state of Telangana came about under the UPA dispensation. Congress leaders want Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu to share the dais with Ms Gandhi, but sources in the party said that there was a difference of opinion in the party about this.
Sources in the Congress revealed that Rahul Gandhi will likely tour Telangana on November 28 and 29, and Mr Naidu will most likely share the dais with him at his public meetings.
Interestingly, Telangana Congress leaders who had earlier said that they will invite actor turned politician Chiranjeevi to campaign, later changed their mind.
The Congress’s star campaigner, Vijayshanthi, has been campaigning along with party campaign committee in-charge Bhatti Vikramarka. TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy will also cover all the constituencies in the state leaving his confidant Vinay Reddy in charge of electioneering in his own constituency. Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy will campaign in 69 constituencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in the state on December 4 and 5 and the BJP state leadership is making plans for a public meeting to be addressed by the Prime Minister on any one of the days.
BJP chief Amit Shah will tour the state on November 25, 27, and 28 and will address public meetings and conduct road shows on these three days.
The Telangana Telugu Desam is planning public meetings for Chandrababu Naidu in and around the constituencies of Greater Hyderabad, to attract the votes of Andhra people living in these constituencies.
Mr Rahul Gandhi is likely to campaign for his party candidates in Mahbubnagar and Khammam apart from undertaking a road show in Khammam.
