Karnataka Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar will be second in command to help her.
ng an aggressive strategy for another southern state Telangana. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Karnataka Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar will be focused on Telangana now.
Congress strategists believe that the issues of corruption and unemployment will be quite effective against the K. Chandrashekar Rao government in Telangana like Karnataka. Chief Minister KCR has indicated that his party BRS will not join the Opposition bloc for the Lok Sabha elections. He will maintain equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP. The BRS will be in a triangular contest with Congress and BJP in Telangana. The BJP will focus on the issues having polarising potential.
Moreover, BJP will have its eyes set on the disgruntled leaders of the BRS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have already started visiting Telangana in what marks the beginning of the poll campaign. BJP national president J.P. Nadda will also be visiting the state. There are enough indications that the Telangana polls in November will be quite interesting. Opposition believes that it can easily corner CM KCR over “corruption” and “unemployment” issues. It is also believed that there will be a strong anti-incumbency against KCR as he has completed nine years in office. Observers, however, say that KCR is quite popular due to his welfare schemes. Till some months back, KCR was quite active in national politics. He changed his party’s name as well. But later, KCR shifted his focus back to Telangana. In fact, the Karnataka polls have impacted the political scenario of the country.
Around 50 of total 119 Assembly seats in Telangana are close to Karnataka border. The people living in these bordering seats enjoy close proximity as well. Therefore, the Congress is hopeful of bagging these 50 seats. The Congress could not consolidate its position in Telangana due to weak state leadership. In view of this, Rahul handed over the party charge to flamboyant leader Revanth Reddy two years ago. Reddy, who started off his political journey with ABVP, was opposed by some Congress leaders. But gradually, he consolidated his position.
In a bid to counter BJP’s Hindutva agenda, Reddy promised construction of 100 Ram Temples in Telangana. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has taken control of the campaign in Telangana. She held a meeting with the state leaders, asking them to remain united. While campaigning in other poll-bound states, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will keep her focus more on Telangana. D.K. Shivakumar will be helping her. The focus will be on the state related issues like what was done in Karnataka. Congress will use the welfare schemes of the Rajasthan government during campaigning in Telangana. The schemes implemented in Karnataka will also be showcased by the party in this southern state. Congress leaders will raise the issues of alleged corruption and growing unemployment too.