Lok Sabha Polls on Heels... Rocked by desertions, BRS faces uphill task to repeat Assembly show in Sec’bad

Hyderabad: It will be a big challenge for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to replicate the performance of the Assembly elections in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in the four constituencies of GHMC because of exodus of party leaders into the Congress. Also, the BJP is gaining strength in the city.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) voters are spread over four Lok Sabha segments of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Chevella. While the MIM has been maintaining its dominance in the Hyderabad seat, the BRS has won a majority of Assembly constituencies in other segments within the GHMC limits. In fact, the GHMC voters had brought some solace for the pink party, which had faced a setback in other parts of the State in the Assembly polls. During the previous Lok Sabha elections, the BRS, BJP, Congress and AIMIM have won one seat each in GHMC limits.

However, the changed political scenario in the State, with the Congress in power, raised big doubts on chances of the main Opposition party. Of late several BRS leaders, including former mayor and former deputy mayor have already joined the Congres. Several BRS MLAs meeting CM A Revanth Reddy has given rise to speculation that some more leaders are looking to shift loyalties; they are waiting for right time.

Besides, the BJP’s growth in urban areas is also a worrying factor for the BRS. Party leaders point out that during the Assembly elections, voters who had assured to vote BRS had already told them that their choice in the Lok Sabha polls will for Modi. Along with the Modi factor, the Ram temple is likely to leave an impact on prospects of candidates.

In the Chevella LS segment, of the seven seats, the BRS had won Maheshwaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally and Chevella. The Congress bagged Pargi, Vikarabad and Tandur. During the 2019 LS elections, BRS candidate G Ranjith Reddy had defeated Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (Cong), who is now with the BJP and is likely to give a tough fight to Ranjith Reddy this time.

In the Malkajgiri segment, all seven constituencies, including Medchal, Malkajgiri, Quthbullahpur, Kukatpally, Uppal, LB Nagar and Secunderabad Cantonment were wrested by the BRS. However, this time several leaders in these segments recently joined the Congress.

In the Secunderabad LS segment, the BRS had won Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills, Sanathnagar and Secunderabad seats, while the MIM bagged Nampally. In 2019 elections BJP’s G Kishan Reddy had defeated T Sai Kiran Yadav (BRS) with a margin of over 60,000 votes. The Congress was a distant third. It would be interesting to see what strategy the BRS adopts to replicate the Assembly results.