Telangana polls heading for a close finish

Will BRS hit hat-trick? Which party will win? Will Congress come to power? Can BJP come to power? Has the popularity graph of BRS improved or taken a dent? Well, these are the questions that are causing sleepless nights for the BRS and the Congress top brass in Telangana which will go to polls in next 24 days.

The poll scenario continues to be hazy as no clear wave is seen in favour of any party. However, a major fight is going to be between the BRS and the Congress. BJP deliberately budged. The contest is so close that even AIMIM may trip and lose one or two seats. Muslim youth in Old City are a disgruntled lot as fruits of development have not percolated to the area.

Opinion polls almost over, parties are ratcheting up their outreach to the voters, deploying resources and strategies right down to the booth level. The next 24 days would see harshest exchange of words against each other by the BRS and the Congress. The Congress harps on its six guarantees and more public meetings to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. It feels the reported damage to the Kaleswaram projected touted as world’s largest lift irrigation scheme would dent KCR’s sway and channel a flood of votes its way. The sinking of piers at Medigadda barrage and water leakage at Annaram and Sundilla barrages would be used to the hilt. The report by National Dam Safety Authority that the dam would be rendered unless totally revamped has come handy for the Congress to call KCR’s party on the mat and expose its frailties and allege massive corruption.

As far as BJP is concerned, it looks as though it would be able to win a few seats, but still may not cross the single digit. It is pinning hopes on North Telangana and, may be, a couple of seats in Greater Hyderabad limits. It has been a very late starter in the campaign which appears to be a deliberate and strategic move to try and prevent Congress from coming to power. The saffron party and its leaders very well know that notwithstanding their public postures, people do not believe any denials of covert pact between the two.

A quick analysis as things stand today clearly indicate that the vote percentage of the pink party would fall and that would be the gain of the Congress party.

Beyond that hazarding any guess would be a risky affair as the voters are keeping their cards close to the chest. With the BRS and Congress going to intensify poll campaign from Monday, it remains to be seen which way the wind would blow or if it will lead towards hung assembly. Many BRS MLAs have been facing the heat as people are giving vent to their pent-up anger on their failure to keep up the poll promises.

The speeches of KCR and other BRS leaders reflect some nervousness. But one thing is for sure; it is going to be KCR V/s Revanth who is being seen as D K Shivkumar of Karnataka. If the BRS hits a hat-trick, the entire credit would be due to KCR as his charisma alone can soothe the public who are scathing in their criticism of a good number of ruling party MLAs. If Congress comes to power, the credit would go to Revanth who catapulted the party from a laggard level to the main challenger.