HYDERABAD: As campaigning for the Karnataka elections concluded on Monday, several areas in Sangareddy, Narayanpet and Vikarabad in Telangana, which border the poll-bound state, became hotspots for poll management.
Leaders from political parties from Karnataka and other states have shifted to these areas to monitor polling in support of their respective parties. Local BRS, BJP, and Congress leaders from Telangana are also camped in these bordering areas. The BRS leaders are working in support of JDS candidates in Bidar and Kalaburagi districts.
With pre-election polls showing mixed results, such as a victory for the Congress, a victory for the BJP, and a few polls predicting a hung Assembly, with the JDS emerging as the kingmaker in that case, all three major parties are treating every vote as crucial. The parties strongly believe that poll management holds the key to ensure voters reach polling booths and cast their votes.
BRS Zaheerabad MP B.B. Patil, BRS MLAs from Tandur, Vikarabad and Narayanpet, namely ‘Pilot’ Rohith Reddy, Metuku Anand, S. Rajender Reddy etc are camping in bordering areas and coordinating with JDS leaders in Karnataka for poll management.
Many voters in Bidar, Kalaburagi and other districts are natives of Telangana who migrated in search of livelihood. The BRS leaders are trying t ensure that all these voters reach polling booths and vote for the JDS.
BRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao extended support to the JDS and even promised to campaign for it, but it did not materialise due to various reasons.
At one point, the CM had planned to send a team of BRS leaders, particularly from neighbouring districts to campaign for the JDS, but that too did not materialise. The BRS leaders remained tightlipped on why the party stayed away from campaigning.
There was talk in the BRS circles that it was done because the majority of the surveys were indicating victory for the Congress, and if they get into Karnataka at this stage in support of the JDS it may lead to vote split and benefit the BJP. They say the prime goal of the BRS is to defeat the BJP, and the reason why they stayed away from campaigning.
