The battle is lost and won

Though K Chandrashekar Rao and a couple of leaders said that they would get minimum 100 seats, everything was unexpected. It has been once again proved that the pulse of the voter cannot be gauged as half a dozen surveys said the maximum number of seats that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) would win was 70-75. 

At the same time, the last minute Lagadapati’s exit polls was a drama. There are many reasons for the Congress and its allies to face defeat.  It is clearly understood that there is no charming leader in the front and in the Congress like Indira Gandhi at national level and Y S Rajasekhar Reddy at regional level in the past.  Uncertainty about the Chief Ministerial candidate, alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), seats sharing with the TJS etc were major reasons for Congress to lose the elections.  

On the other hand, Chandrashekar Rao’s charm and the schemes he introduced including Rytu Bandhu, farmers’ insurance, Shaadi Mubarak, Kalyana Laxmi, pensions to the aged and the widows, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, retirement age extension to the employees, Kanti Velugu, financial assistance to all casts and religions, 24 hours electricity, irrigation projects etc have worked wonders for the TRS. Though it is not a surprise to KCR and team on the results, it is definitely a shock to the Congress leaders as its senior most leaders have been defeated. 

In view of the results, whatever are the other States’ results, in Telangana, the Congress high command ensure that the previous generation should be out of the party and new blood should be induced like in Rajasthan. However, the TRS is going to form the government in Telangana and in the next five years, we wish everyone would be happy in the State.

 - Nandu Palivela, Hanamkonda