All the three major political parties in Telangana are getting ready to face the litmus test on September 13 in the by-election to the Medak Lok Sabha seat. Election was necessitated due to the resignation of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Given the existing political conditions, victory is necessary for all parties – Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Telugu Desam Party (TDP) combine.
It is a big challenge for the TRS, which has to prove a point that people are still sailing with it with the same majority secured by Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao or surpassing it. Dipping of majority for party candidate Kotha Prabhaka Reddy could send a wrong signal and it is precisely this worry which is making the party go all out to increase the margin.
The general elections turned the fortunes of the Congress, which had as many as eight MLAs but was reduced to just two, that too in neighbouring Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress is desperate to win the polls by campaigning hard for V. Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, party candidate and former Minister. The party wants to regain its foothold in the new State and present the victory as a gift to party chief Sonia Gandhi.
The BJP-TDP combine wants to corner the TRS by giving it a run for its money by winning the polls. If its candidate T. Jayaprakash Reddy, who is strongly opposed to the TRS, manages to upset the poll calculation, it would be a morale booster for the BJP-TDP combine. His win would send a strong message that they can jointly stop the aggressive posture of the ruling TRS, if not immediately, at least in future.
Having all the seven Assembly constituencies – Medak, Dubbak, Siddipet, Gajwel, Narsapur, Patancheru and Sangareddy – in its kitty and announcing several welfare measures in the past 100 days, the TRS has a natural advantage in the elections.
In addition, it has successfully attracted leaders from all other parties after coming to power and impressive examples were former Congress legislator T. Narsa Reddy, who contested the elections against Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, and former District Congress Committee (DCC) president V. Bhoopal Reddy.
The Congress has roped in all senior leaders for the campaign. The defection of many leaders at the mandal level and village level made its going a little difficult. The Congress has been focusing on the failure of the ruling party in keeping some of the promises such as non-implementation of loan waiver and not paying fee reimbursement to students so far.
BJP-TDP is going more aggressively in the campaign against the Chief Minister and his party, alleging that the TRS is still trying to cash in on the Telangana sentiment even months after the formation of the new State.
