Assembly polls in Telangana may be more than a year away but political parties in the state already seem to be gearing up for the election battle. The main opposition Congress is set to hold rallies in Warangal and in Hyderabad’s Osmania University, while BJP state President Bandi Sanjay, Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Dr RS Praveen Kumar and YSR Telangana Party President YS Sharmila are already busy touring the state leading yatras.
The opposition leaders are using all avenues to attack Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) led state government. The rousing speeches by politicians and the massive public presence at these rallies suggest that political momentum has picked up in the state.
The Congress, which is holding public meetings under the banner of 'Mana Vooru – Mana Poru' (Our village – Our fight) in the districts, has decided to rope in its national working president Rahul Gandhi this time. According to the Congress state leadership, the party will announce the ‘Warangal Declaration’, which will contain the issues that the party will work on after coming to power. The declaration will have aspects related to farmer welfare, crop procurement and minimum support prices (MSP) along with concerns pertaining to tenant farmers and farmers whose assigned lands have been taken away for infrastructure projects.
Rahul Gandhi is also expected to meet the families of farmers who died by suicide. His scheduled interaction with the students of Osmania University, once a hub for the Telangana statehood movement, remains doubtful as university officials have refused permission for the event. Vice Chancellor D Ravinder told TNM that permission was denied as the university executive council has taken a decision not to permit political events in the campus.
With Rahul’s rally the Congress is hoping to draw farmers and youths to better its prospects in the state ahead of elections. Political observers say that the Congress is facing “trust issues” as nearly a dozen MLAs who won on its ticket in 2019 have shifted loyalties to the TRS.
BJP’s Bandi Sanjay, who is the MP from Karimnagar and known for his communal speeches, has begun the second phase of his Praja Sangrama Yatra in Gadwal in southern Telangana. Besides accusing CM KCR of corruption, family rule, and unemployment in the state, Sanjay is also trying to mobilse Hindus by giving speeches against the Muslim community. Recently, he mocked KCR for throwing an Iftar feast for Muslims in Hyderabad while expressing his disgust at the popular festival dishes Haleem and Harees.
BSP leader and former police officer RS Praveen Kumar, who embarked on his 300-day Bahujana Rajyadikara Yatra from the erstwhile Warangal district, is currently touring Khammam district. The former bureaucrat is trying to mobilise people from the SC, ST, BC communities, religious minorities and other weaker sections. Praveen Kumar has been highlighting the lack of representation of Bahujans in governments, businesses and educational institutions. In what is seen as a major blow to the ruling and other opposition parties, he has announced that 60% of MLA and MP seats will be given to BCs (Backward Classes) in the upcoming elections.
Founder and president of YSR Telangana party YS Sharmila’s Praja Prasthanam Yatra, which has already completed 900 km, is expected to touch all the 17 parliament segments in the state. Sharmila, who is also the daughter of late united state CM YS Rajashekar Reddy and current Andhra CM YS Jagan’s sibling, wants to bring ‘Rajanna Rajyam’ in the state of Telangana. Sharmila has also not been mincing words when taking on the ruling TRS and CM KCR. She has accused KCR’s government of grabbing the land of poor people in the name of development. According to her, only KCR’s family benefited from the formation of Telangana and not the common people.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is looking to expand its base into other states following its win in the Punjab state elections, declined TRS’s invitation to be part of a non-Congress and non-BJP alliance and started its own yatra on April 14.
With its recent grand 21st anniversary celebrations, the TRS has also indicated that it’s shifting into election mode.