TRS' image, candidates' prospects - both matter

Hyderabad: The next assembly elections in Telangana will be witnessing a new phenomenon. So far the TRS candidates have been getting votes based on the strength and image of the party.

This time, party leaders feel that it cannot be said with certainty that only party can make the candidates win. The image of the candidates would also matter a lot. The results would be a mix of party benefiting from candidates image and vice versa, analysts feel.

The TRS party has been working out its strategies well ahead of the polls to ensure that they are battle-ready even if they have to go to polls ahead of the schedule.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is said to have worked out a strategy to ensure that any possible surge in seats of BJP and Congress was contained to bare minimum.

The strategy, it is said, includes 'Operation Akarsh'. The party wants to identify the prospective candidates in opposition parties and admit them into the party.

In addition, the party is utilising the services of multiple agencies to conduct constituency wise surveys of each MLA and if the reports are adverse, the newly inducted candidate from other parties could be the replacement to the sitting candidate.

According to the sources, these agencies will not only conduct surveys on the prospects of TRS candidates but will also give assessment reports on the chances of the possible top candidates from opposition parties. This survey would be in addition to what the I-Pac team has been doing.

It is learnt that the I-Pac report had indicated that there was internal rift among leaders in about 40 constituencies. A senior leader said that the survey report has details of candidates such as strengths and weaknesses, financial position and public opinion on the sitting candidate. The survey team would select three to four prospective candidates and analyse whether they can win the elections or not.