Telangana braces for heated three-way battle in upcoming May 13 elections.
With only 3-4 seats leaning towards a single party, the majority of constituencies are poised for a tightly contested triangular battle. The electoral landscape suggests a close race across the board, promising an intense showdown in the upcoming polls.
The Congress aims to replicate its 2023 Assembly election success in Telangana. Meanwhile, the BJP is aggressively campaigning to strengthen its position in the state, second only to Karnataka in South India. Despite recent setbacks and leader defections, the BRS is showing resilience, evident in the massive turnout during party President KC Rao’s bus tour.
The BJP is strategically leveraging the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a cornerstone of their campaign. With a stronghold in three out of four seats secured in 2019, they’re engaged in fierce battles against the Congress and BRS in four other constituencies. Setting an ambitious goal of clinching 10 seats, the party has mobilized key figures like PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and other leaders who have conducted extensive campaign rallies.
Meanwhile, the Congress is projecting optimism, leading in five constituencies while encountering stiff competition in others. This indicates a multifaceted electoral landscape, with each party vying for dominance amidst a complex political scenario.
The BRS holds a strategic advantage in several constituencies, despite facing challenges due to the defection of five sitting MPs to rival parties in recent months. Interestingly, both the Congress and BJP have capitalized on this exodus, gaining prominent leaders from the BRS in the run-up to the elections.
In a noteworthy development, the Congress has nominated several key figures for the Lok Sabha elections, including a sitting MP, a sitting MLA, and the daughter of another sitting MLA. Similarly, the BJP has fielded candidates with strong political lineage, including a sitting MP and the son of another sitting MP who switched allegiance from the BRS.
Furthermore, former MPs and state legislators from the BRS have found representation in both the Congress and BJP candidate lists, underscoring the fluidity of political alliances and affiliations in the region.
While the BJP has managed to retain three of its four sitting MPs, the Congress has faced the challenge of fielding new candidates in constituencies where its previous MPs were elected to the Assembly. This includes notable figures like A. Revanth Reddy, who secured victory in the Malkajgiri constituency in the previous election and has since ascended to the position of Chief Minister. Additionally, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who emerged victorious from Nalgonda and Bhongir respectively, have assumed ministerial roles and are actively working to secure their party’s success in these constituencies.
Overall, the electoral landscape in Telangana is characterized by intense competition and strategic maneuvering, with each party striving to consolidate its position and secure victory in the upcoming polls.
In the Telangana electoral arena, key contestants are gearing up for intense battles across various constituencies, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown.
The Warangal Lok Sabha seat witnessed high drama as Kadiyam Kaviya, initially named as a candidate by the BRS, withdrew from the contest to join the Congress alongside her father, sitting BRS MLA Kadiam Srihari.
Union Minister and state BJP chief, G Kishan Reddy, is seeking re-election from Secunderabad, facing a challenging three-cornered contest involving BRS MLA T Padma Goud and Congress candidate D Nagender, who recently switched allegiance from the BRS after winning from Khairatabad constituency in the Assembly elections.
In Karimnagar, BJP National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar faces a tough challenge from BRS candidate Vinod Kumar.
Mahabubnagar witnesses a repeat of the 2019 battle, with BJP’s National Vice President D K Aruna challenging sitting MP Manne Srinivas Reddy of BRS, while Revanth Reddy, the state Congress chief, works towards the victory of Vamshi Chand Reddy.
Malkajgiri, India’s largest constituency, sees BJP’s Eatala Rajender in a fierce fight against Sunitha Reddy of the Congress party and R Lakshma Reddy of BRS.
In Medak, the BRS is determined to retain the seat, fielding former bureaucrat Venkatarami Reddy, while former MLA Raghunandan Rao represents the BJP, and Nilam Madhu stands for Congress.
Khammam anticipates a direct fight between sitting MP Nama Nageswara Rao of BRS and Congress candidate Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy.
In Nagarkurnool, former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar, now with the BRS, contests against senior Congress leader Mallu Ravi and BJP candidate P Bharat Prasad, who recently switched sides.
In the Hyderabad LS seat, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi seeks re-election against BJP’s Madhavi Latha and Congress candidate Sameer Waliullah.
The 2019 elections saw the BRS retaining power with a significant majority, securing 41.3% of the votes. The BJP won four seats with a 19.5% vote share, while the Congress secured three seats with 30.2% votes.
In the 2023 Assembly polls, the Congress dramatically improved its fortunes, securing 64 seats and 39.40% of the votes, successfully wresting power from the BRS. The BJP nearly doubled its vote share to 13.90%, securing eight seats, while AIMIM retained its seven seats despite a slight decline in vote share.