New Delhi
With Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) announcing a wave of sops in the run-up to polls in the state, party insiders have claimed that the party chief wants to leave no stone unturned to win the Assembly elections with a thumping majority. They also claim that KCR wants to leave the Congress and BJP in distant second and third spots respectively.
After BRS chief KCR introduced a wave of schemes for the people of the state, sources within the party claim that till the Election Commission’s declaration of poll schedule, the KCR government has readied itself for more cash transfers for existing welfare schemes, as well as new ones over the next few months. Moreover, party insiders claim that, during election mode, the party regularly conducts surveys to update its leadership about the impact of the government on the people. A party insider said, “Although the response of the surveys has been withheld by the top leadership, there is no worry about elections seen within the party. And there are talks within the party that we will win more than 75 seats in the coming Assembly elections.”
A political analyst based in Telangana said, “According to most of the reports, BRS is going to win and Congress will be the number two if the state goes to polls now. However, even after sensing that it is going to win, if KCR is giving so many sops before the polls, it seems like he wants to send a strong message by winning the elections with a thumping majority. A message with which he will be able to shoot down any other party which is trying to grow its bases like Congress and BJP. A third-time win will also paralyse both the parties for another five years. If the BRS (then TRS) wins it for the third time, the party will become very powerful, like the BJP is very powerful in Gujarat and like Biju Janata Dal is powerful in Orissa.”
He further added, “Some reports that say that Congress will fight neck to neck with BRS are wrong. First, there is no such leader who can mobilise large crowds like KCR and second is that KCR knows more Telangana politics than any other leader does. He has more understanding of people of the state than any other leader has. Also, he is a 24/7 leader who always thinks how he can improve the prospects of his party.”
The party wants to have a strong grip on the OBC class, which constitutes more than 55% of the Telangana population, so that other parties will fall flat, on more than 50 seats which are dominated by OBC population, when the elections are conducted. A Congress OBC leader said, “Although there are brighter chances for the Congress party to increase its seat share in Telangana after the Karnataka win, these around 50 seats where OBCs are dominating are important for any party to come to power and could play a big role in Congress’ growth. However, there is not much focus on the OBC section in the Congress. It’s mostly about Reddy’s. So, when we are not ready, who will give BRS a fight on such seats? They will by themselves consolidate on such seats.”