Synopsis
As Telangana gears up for the Legislative Council elections, a fierce contest between Congress and BJP emerges, with both parties aiming for a significant victory. The stakes are high as Congress defends its governance record, while BJP seeks to build on its previous electoral successes.Key Takeaways
- Congress and BJP face off in the MLC elections.
- BRS abstains, intensifying the competition.
- High stakes for both parties.
- Challenges for Congress amid scrutiny.
- BJP aims to replicate past successes.
Hyderabad, Feb 23 (NationPress) A fascinating contest is unfolding between Telangana's ruling party Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Legislative Council seat from the Karimnagar-Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad graduates' constituency.
With the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the main opposition in the Assembly, opting out, this will be a direct confrontation between Congress and BJP for the election scheduled on February 27.
Congress has nominated V. Narender Reddy, an educational institution chairman from Karimnagar, while the BJP has put forward C. Anji Reddy, an industrialist, as its candidate.
The stakes are high for both parties, as a Congress victory would be viewed as an endorsement of its 14-month governance, whereas a win for the BJP would further elevate its standing in north Telangana, an area where it excelled in the previous Lok Sabha elections.
Currently, T. Jeevan Reddy, a senior leader of the Congress party and former minister, serves as the sitting MLC for this constituency. In contrast, the BJP is relying on its robust presence, having secured victories in all four Lok Sabha constituencies – Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, and Adilabad.
Aiming to strengthen its foothold in the Legislative Council, the BJP has also nominated candidates for two additional MLC seats - Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers' constituencies.
Traditionally, elections to teachers' constituencies are not party-affiliated; however, the BJP surprised its opponents by fielding candidates. Presently, both seats are held by independents.
The BJP is conducting a vigorous campaign in these areas, spearheaded by Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who is also the party's MP from Karimnagar.
The Congress has enlisted several ministers for its campaign, with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud actively participating.
Interestingly, both Congress and BJP have accused one another of a clandestine agreement with the BRS. While Congress leaders accuse BRS of abstaining to assist BJP, the latter has alleged a secret pact between Congress and BRS.
The BRS, whose leaders claim that the Congress government has lost public trust in just 14 months, surprised many by choosing not to field a candidate. BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao opted out of the MLC election, aiming for the party's focus on the forthcoming local body elections.
Although the BRS did not officially provide reasons for its absence from the MLC polls, its leaders believe that a defeat would adversely affect its strategy to recover after a poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections and the loss of 10 MLAs to the ruling party.
The Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Medak Graduates constituency encompasses nearly 42 assembly segments and has over 355,159 voters. The election results may reflect the sentiments of the educated voter base.
Political analysts suggest that Congress faces a formidable challenge in retaining the seat as the BJP is determined to replicate its Lok Sabha elections success.
Throughout the campaign, BJP leaders have criticized Congress for not fulfilling promises made during the Assembly elections.
They have challenged the ruling party regarding the unfulfilled commitment to provide two lakh jobs within a year.
Targeting BRS for its decision not to field candidates and mocking Congress for not contesting in teachers' constituencies, Kishan Reddy asserted that both parties are facing resistance from the youth and educators.
Kishan Reddy, the state president of the BJP, expresses confidence that the party will secure victory in all three MLC seats.
The BJP has nominated Puli Sarottham Reddy for the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers' constituency and Malka Komaraiah for the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers' constituency.
During the campaign for the graduates' constituency, Congress leaders are emphasizing the schemes implemented to meet the promises made in the Assembly elections, along with recent government achievements like conducting a case survey in the state and the sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes for reservation implementation as per the Supreme Court's ruling.
Congress leaders have accused the BJP of attempting to garner votes based on religion. They are also highlighting the filling of 55,000 vacancies in government departments.
The BJP had declared its candidates for all three MLC seats even before the Election Commission announced the poll schedule. This marks a significant shift in strategy by the BJP, which previously announced candidates last for the November 2023 Assembly elections and May 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP triumphed in Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Adilabad Lok Sabha constituencies, which encompass the graduates’ constituency. Seven of the eight Assembly seats held by the BJP are located in these four districts.
The BJP is optimistic after doubling its Lok Sabha tally from the state to eight, marking its best-ever performance.
The BJP, which won four seats in 2019 with a vote share of 19.5%, significantly improved its vote share to 35.08%. This represents a substantial gain for the BJP, which had garnered 13.90% of the votes in the November 2023 Assembly elections, winning eight seats in the 119-member Assembly.
The BJP aims to replicate the success from the MLC elections held in March 2023, when AVN Reddy, a candidate associated with the BJP-affiliated teachers' union, won the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers constituency. He stands as the sole BJP MLC in the 40-member Legislative Council.
The Congress, which secured 64 seats in the 119-member Assembly, increased its count to 75 following the defection of 10 BRS MLAs. The ruling party also reclaimed the Secunderabad Assembly seat during last year's by-election.
The BRS, which previously held 29 members (including four nominated members) in the 40-member Legislative Council, has lost eight MLCs to Congress over the past year.
(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at M.Shafeeq@ians.in)
