As the campaign for the Telangana Assembly election drew to a close on Tuesday, the focus shifted to voting on November 30 when voters would determine the course of the southern state whose current government led by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi showcased its social welfare bouquet during the electioneering, fighting anti-incumbency and allegations of corruption levelled by a resurgent Congress and an enthusiastic BJP.
The end of campaigning takes the 3.17 crore voters into the decision phase during which they are likely to weigh the benefits of reposing faith in Chief Minister K Chrandra Shekhar Rao, the charismatic leader who led the campaign to carve out a new state from Andhra Pradesh in 2014, against six guarantees of the Congress and the BJP’s Narendra Modi development model.
With the declaration of result on December 3, 119 legislators would get the mandate to deliver on their parties’ poll promises that ranged from free gas cylinders, input subsidies for farmers, appointment of a CM from backward class and jobs.
The ruling BRS is fighting voter fatigue and waning interest of voters in the emotional election plank of creation of the new state but by re-fielding 95% of its legislators, the ruling party has signalled that there is negligible anti-incumbency. KCR and his team are looking to reap benefits of the government’s welfare schemes, especially the Rythu Bandhu financial assistance scheme for farmers. Under the scheme, the state government gives Rs 5,000 per acres to peasants twice a year.
KCR also added a new dimension to the campaign by pressing into service his party’s NRI brigade to charm the young voters. The party has NRI chapters in 52 countries and has taken a cue from NRI-linked campaign experiments by AAP in Punjab and Congress in Kerala.
During the campaign, BJP star campaigner and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s promise to rename Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar was countered by Congress veteran Renuka Chaudhary who said politics of hatred would not work in the state. “BJP leaders are known to make such remarks but people of the state are more interested in debate over development,” she said.
In the last leg of campaigning, Modi offered prayers at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala and exhorted voters to back the BJP for all-round growth of the state over the next five years. At a rally in Karimnagar, the PM praised former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao, who was born in the district, and accused the Congress of ill-treating and insulting him.
Other star campaigners of the party, including Home Minister Amit Shah and National president J.P. Nadda, also slammed the BRS for alleged corruption and dynasty rule.
Shah said at a rally, “Any vote for Congress will go to BRS only. If you wish to change the government, then vote for the BJP. The votes given to Congress or BRS will support their family politics.”
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka led the Congress campaign, showcasing the party’s Karnataka victory and welfare work. The Congress looked to attract Muslim voters by alleging a BRS-BJP truck.Rahul’s recent Bharat Jodo Yatra and caste census pitch seem to have energised the party that is wooing voters with promises of government jobs, subsidy and monetary incentives for tenant farmers and agricultural workers.
TPCC chief Revel Reddy has reinvented himself and presented himself as a ready “CM candidate”, capable of replacing KCR. The Congress has sensed that voters have started believing in its bounce back and ability to give a clean government.
Interestingly, there was little talk about a caste census in the state during the campaign as KCR government had in 2021 got a resolution passed in the assembly, promising an OBC census.
