Khul ja Sim Sim, Aadhi Hai Chandrama

Hyderabad: As Telangana is poised for the most thrilling phase of the 2023 Assembly elections, all leaders particularly the BRS and the Congress party spent sleepless night on Saturday feeling “Raat Baki Hai, Result Baki Hai.”

Tension in both these parties was high as the BRS is hoping for a hat-trick and feels that the predictions of the exit polls would go for toss and they would be back in the driver’s seat. The Congress has been feeling elated since Friday evening as all pollsters predicted clear majority for them. After blockbuster predictions of the exit polls, it is now going to be super mash verdict, and this is what is sending goose bumps among all the leaders and contestants. It could be four states and four different verdicts.

While the results would start pouring in and the big picture would become clear by noon, along with the candidates whose fate is sealed in EVMs, the results will prove to be a real test for the pollsters.

The exit polls predicted edge for Congress in Chhattisgarh, and for BJP in Madhya Pradesh. As far as Rajasthan is concerned there is difference of opinion ranging from clear mandate to BJP to a cliff hanger like situation. In Telangana, almost all pollster predicted clear win for Congress.

This election is going to be a unique one and the result is likely to be both thrilling and unprecedented. The reason being in some states, parties which were considered to decimated and nowhere suddenly surged forward. Parties, which were posing challenge to the ruling party, badly slipped and lost the battle ground. This phenomenon was more prominent in Telangana.

Till about six months back, the perception was that BJP had gained political ground and would emerge as number two party in the state and that Congress was decimated and had no strong leadership. But as it is said politics is a real ‘Akhada’ where anything can happen anytime, the BJP after Karnataka Assembly election results took a ‘U’ turn and changed its aggressive leadership and lost the ground it had gained and the impression was that KCR was in a comfortable position.

But the Congress which was nowhere surged forward and has thrown a challenge to the ruling BRS. It appears that the women factor is going to play a major role in whichever way the results go. According to EC figures, 41 percent female voters went with Congress while 38 percent voted for BRS making the polls most exciting.