Contest may no longer be bipolar in TS
The election scenario is fast changing in Telangana. From what was supposed to be a polarised battle with BRS on one side and Congress and left on the other, the situation is taking new twists and turns.
The BJP which rose like a high tide went down just as a low tide after getting mauled in the Karnataka elections. The Congress is clearly on the ascendancy while the BRS which is keen to win a hat-trick is certainly feeling the heat and has realised it won’t be a cake walk. Even its own surveys indicate a firming up of the anti-incumbency factor. If these surveys turn out even modestly right, then the BRS footprint could decline.
The deft handling by the AICC itself of the selection of Congress candidates has helped in largely containing any dissidence. On the other hand, many people, particularly those who had left Congress and went to the saffron party, are staging a ‘Ghar Wapsi,’ further enthusing the party leadership. The Congress has been focussing its campaign on “mis-governance” and a loss of direction of BRS government during its second term. They have been directly accusing the CM of indulging in large-scale corruption and turning the government into a family show. The Congress strategists rightly sensed a perceptible change of mood among the voters, and as the state’s demography is dominated by Dalits, OBCs, tribals and Muslims, they are trying to enlist their support.
The BRS on the other hand is heavily banking on the transactional welfarism and is going to people trying to impress upon the people that they should not lose KCR as such leaders do not come every time. Amidst this neck-to-neck fight scenario, the Congress thought it could perhaps come to power if it can take the left parties also along with it. They felt that since the left parties are part of bloc I.N.D.I.A, they would be able to convince them to accept a few seats where they have significant strength, and the alliance would give sleepless nights to the pink party, particularly, in Khammam, Nalgonda and a few other districts.
But the left parties which are known for being over ambitious and turning impractical when it comes to bargaining for seats, basking in the past glory, has put up unreasonable demands and finally decided to go alone. This results in the division of votes. History is going to repeat again and certainly this division of votes would help the ruling party at many places.
As for the BJP, it committed hari-kari. The central leadership after Karnataka results followed the policy of undermining independent leaders in states and in typical Indira Gandhi brand of politics, it is completely dependent on the manufactured charisma of Narendra Modi, not just in Telangana but across the country. It is going to follow the same pattern during the Lok Sabha elections as well. This to some extent may work in North and West India but certainly not in the South. From people forming queues to join the saffron party, a stage has come in Telangana where they are deserting the saffron party and the leadership seems to feel “Jana Hai tho Jane Do.”
In the chess game of polls, all these developments would help the ruling party in many places while it could damage its prospects in a few pockets. As a result, a cliff-hanger situation cannot be ruled out when the results would be announced on December 3.