Having undertaken a thorough postmortem of the Assembly election, the party is set on recalibrating its strategy for the impending Lok Sabha polls.
Telangana Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao. (X)
Shaking off the spectre of despair following its recent setback in the Assembly election, the BRS is gearing up for a comeback in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May next year.
Having undertaken a thorough postmortem of the Assembly election, the party is set on recalibrating its strategy for the impending Lok Sabha polls. The party envisions capitalising on instances of the Congress government faltering as it endeavours to implement its six guarantees.
In the aftermath of the electoral debacle, the BRS rallied its forces to analyse the factors that led to both its triumphs and defeats.
A senior party leader revealed that a meticulous assessment of the party’s preparedness for the electoral battle has been conducted. “We have made a ruthless dissection of the factors that led to our defeat in Assembly segments, Lok Sabha constituency-wise. The data from the seven Assembly segments that constitute one Lok Sabha constituency is with us. We will move forward, accordingly,” he said.
The party has not held any informal meeting yet to discuss the various aspects of the approach the party has to take in facing the Lok Sabha polls since the Parliament session ended only on Thursday. The MPs have now arrived in the state and they may soon have a meeting with party president K Chandrashekar Rao, who is convalescing from a hip replacement surgery.
Undeterred by the setback, the party asserts, “We may have got less number of seats but our vote share is by no means low. If the Congress got a vote share of 39.4 percent, we are very close to it with 37.35 percent. This shows that we have the support of the people. What is now required is to have to get back to the drawing board to evolve a strategy and build a narrative that suits the Lok Sabha polls.”
Speaking to South First, Khammam MP and BRS leader in the Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao said, “Parliament session has just gotten over. We are yet to formally meet our president. We will then know the finer points of our approach to the Lok Sabha polls.”
While there is no official confirmation, speculation is rife that KCR may seek election to the Lok Sabha from Medak. However, KCR had previously pledged to field former MLA Chilumula Madan Reddy from Medak after he gave the Narsapur seat to V Sunitha Laxma Reddy in the recent Assembly elections.
A senior leader of the party said, “We do not know yet if KCR will contest in the Lok Sabha polls and if he does, from where.”
With the morale of BRS workers at an all-time low, the party’s first priority is to infuse renewed vigour into its ranks. The leaders face the daunting task of reviving the party’s fortunes in rural areas of North Telangana, its once unassailable stronghold.
Sources suggest that the party is likely to renominate all nine sitting MPs, exercising caution in selecting candidates for the remaining seven seats. The BRS traditionally “leaves” the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat to AIMIM.
In Adilabad, indications point toward the party fielding former MP and Adivasi (Gond) leader Godam Nagesh, who lost to BJP nominee Soyam Bapu Rao in 2019. He previously won the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat in 2014 on a BRS ticket.
Sources reveal that Boinpally Vinod Kumar is the almost-certain candidate for the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat. Having been elected from this constituency in 2014, he lost to Bandi Sanjay Kumar in 2019. Known for his close association with KCR, Kumar has handled national politics on behalf of the party with aplomb during his tenure as a BRS MP.
In Malkajgiri, the BRS will need to seek a fresh candidate, as the seat is now vacant following Revanth Reddy’s resignation. Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, who contested and lost against Revanth Reddy in 2019, is unavailable to the BRS as he has been elected to the Assembly from Malkajgiri.
For Nizamabad, KCR’s daughter and MLC K Kavitha have been tipped as the likely candidate. Kavitha, groomed by KCR during the BRS’s tenure in the state, is seen as a valuable asset for addressing national issues, aligning with KCR’s aspirations to emerge as a national leader.
Despite setbacks in the Assembly elections, KCR may still play a role in national politics and Kavitha by his side might be handy. In fact, it is said, one of the reasons why KCR sought election to the Assembly from Kamareddy was to pave the way for Kavitha to win the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat.
Though Kamareddy is not part of the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, it is part of the erstwhile Nizamabad district and it was hoped that his election from Kamraredy would have impact on the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency.
But in the changed circumstances, Kavitha would have to earn every vote that comes her way, slugging it out with BJP’s Dharmauri Aravind.
Secunderabad, currently represented by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, may not see the BRS fielding Talasani Sai Kiran Yadav. Instead, the party is considering the candidacy of BC leader Dasoju Sravan.
In Nagarkurnool, there are indications that the party might replace sitting MP Pothuganti Ramulu. Allegations of inactivity and discontent arose when the party ignored his request for the Achampet Assembly ticket for his son.
The BRS aims to find a candidate capable of challenging the Congress nominee in Nalgonda. With sitting MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy now an MLA and minister, the Congress, too, must seek a suitable candidate for the seat. The BRS is contemplating fielding Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy or his son.
For Bhongir, both the Congress and BRS must identify new candidates, as sitting MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy is now a minister. The BRS is considering former MLA Budida Bikshamaiah for the constituency.
Former MP B Vinod Kumar said, “As a political party, we will fight all the 17 seats. We will soon decided our approach and strategy. We will go through the issues that we have to raise in the poll campaign. The Congress has already begun tripping up on its promises.”
He continued, “When Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Batti Vikramarka said that the Congress never promised unemployment allowance, it was not political parties but the people who put up the video of Priyanka Gandhi making announcement that the Congress would pay the dole to the youth after coming to power. The people know what is happening.”
“Anyway, they themselves have set a 100-day deadline. Let us see to what extent they can keep their promises,” he added.
May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024
May 19, 2024
May 19, 2024
May 19, 2024
May 19, 2024
