BRS powers ahead on Telangana campaign track as BJP and Congress lose initial momentum

Information and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has been visiting all parts of the state at frequent intervals to keep up the campaign tempo. On Wednesday, 16 August, KCR’s daughter and MLC K Kavitha addressed a meeting of party workers at Bodhan in the Nizamabad district.

Unveiling the statue of 17th century Telangana hero Sarvai Papanna Goud, who fought against Muslim rule, at Sarampalli in Tanagallapalli mandal in the Rajanna Siricilla district on Tuesday, 15 August, KTR said he was kicking off the BRS campaign from there.

“I always begin my campaign for elections from here. For the ensuing Assembly elections, I am beginning it today,” he said, appealing to the people not to place the state in the hands of those who are against development.

Related: Congress launches campaign with ‘praja court’ holding KCR ‘guilty’

Wind blowing in BRS favour

Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy is trying to mobilise at least one lakh people for KCR’s 20 August event in Suryapet. The party is planning to exploit the benefit that the farmers accrue with Kaleshwaram water reaching them, and a new medical college coming up in Suryapet constituency, to its electoral advantage.

For the BRS, KCR has set the right ambience for election campaigning. With the announcement of the constitution of a Pay Revision Commission, the state government employees are likely to favour the ruling party.

This is besides the TSRTC workers and employees who feel they are indebted to the BRS for adding them to the government rolls.

KCR said recently that he has more lethal weapons in his armoury to stun the Opposition.

True to his claim, he has been offering one sop or the other to various sections of society, to get them to rally behind him. As though providence is also with him, the ₹50,000 crore Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation scheme got the environmental clearance, setting the tone for a feel-good mahol — or ambience.

For months now, ministers in districts have had no other work than reciting the list of welfare schemes that have been or are being implemented in Telangana to get the people on their side. The resumption of the farm loan waiver, too, is expected to shower a confetti of votes on the BRS.

As the state’s resources are likely to increase by 30 percent because of the buoyancy in the economy, the party does not see anything going awry in its electoral calculations.

Related: KTR asks Telangana farmers to choose KCR or ‘vultures’

BJP running out of steam

The BJP, which appeared to be growing with each passing day till a few months ago, seems to be rapidly losing steam. Initially, it was internal bickering that slowed down the juggernaut and later the perceived change in the direction of the wind that is blowing now in the wake of the party’s debacle in neighbouring Karnataka.

At one stage, the BJP appeared to be a formidable party in the making, but it is not the same anymore. The change of guard in the party state unit seemed to have thrown a wet blanket over the party workers. Though the new president of the party, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, is trying to inject adrenalin doses into the party cadres, they do not seem to be working.

Though Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender managed to get Bandi Sanjay eased out from the BJP state president post, he could not step into his shoes, which is being touted as only a partial victory for the former BRS leader.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s fall in Karnataka seemed to have changed the dynamics in Telangana, with no leader, either from the Congress or the BRS, showing any interest in joining the saffron party. Rajender who was billed as an expert in landing big fish from the BRS, too, threw up his hands in helplessness.

Adding to the woes, BJP leader A Chandrasekhar is all set to join the Congress. Other leaders are waiting for the appropriate time and offer to switch sides. They include, according to sources, former MPs Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Konda Visweswar Reddy, Vijayashanthi, and G Vivek Venkataswamy.

Interview: Rajagopal Reddy on what BJP needs to do to win Telangana

Congress hits the slow lane

Meanwhile, the Congress which was on an upswing after the party’s landslide victory in Karnataka, seems to be cooling off a little.

The rub-off from Karnataka imparted momentum to the party which made leaders from the other parties look at the grand old party with renewed interest. Though it is not yet clear whether the enthusiasm is only a froth and not substantive, there seems to be a little slowdown.

The last major event was the one that Rahul Gandhi addressed in Khammam on 2 July when BRS leader Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, joined the Congress.

Later, though another important leader from erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, Jupally Krishna Rao, was ready to join the party, Priyanka Gandhi, who was supposed to admit him to the party in his home constituency of Kollapur, could not make it to Telangana due to other preoccupations.

The party’s central leadership seems more focused on wresting Madhya Pradesh from the BJP and retaining Chhattisgarh — both states going to the polls at the same time as Telangana. And the chances in these states appear to be more promising than in Telangana.

When Srinivasa Reddy was inducted, it was said that the Congress would organise major public meetings regularly to sustain the momentum till the elections are over.

Congress Legislative Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would address a huge public meeting in Suryapet but it did not materialise.

Recently, AICC president Mallikharjun Kharge’s visit to Zaheerabad on 18 August was announced. It was said that he would release the ‘SC declaration’ at a public meeting.

Subsequently, the venue of the public meeting was changed to Chevella near Hyderabad. Finally, TPCC President A Revanth Reddy announced that Kharge’s programme was off and fresh dates would be announced soon.

Time and tide wait for none. But both the BJP and the Congress seem to be oblivious to the obvious.