Shock defeat in Dubbak by-election and below par performance in the GHMC polls notwithstanding, the twin victories of its candidates in the just-concluded MLC elections have come as a much-needed boost for the ruling TRS ahead of the Nagarjunasagar by-poll slated next month.
Almost on the backfoot since its defeat in Dubbak, Saturday’s win of Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao from Hyderabad-RangaReddy-Mahabubnagar Graduates’ constituency, and sitting MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy from Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal seat, surely speaks volumes about the back-room strategy adopted by the TRS leadership in the run up to the March 14 election. Surprisingly, money seems to have influenced the elections as candidates unabashedly distributed cash to lure voters.
Analysis of the poll outcome clearly shows that the TRS leadership had learnt from the shortcomings of the two previous elections. With candidates failing to secure the winning 50 per cent+1 vote mark, the election result is likely to teach a lesson or two for all the parties.
Effective management on the poll day, appropriating PV’s image by fielding his daughter as the candidate, tackling the adverse campaign in the name of PRC report, unemployment issue that had become a poll plank for all the opposition parties and targeting the Central government on fuel price hike, have apparently helped the TRS to win the two seats.
After the unexpected downside in the GHMC elections, where it failed to cross the half way mark, the TRS focused its energy on poll day management reportedly entrusting senior leaders with responsibility of bringing 50 graduate voters to the polling booth on that day. This was one aspect that was missing at the time of GHMC elections, party insiders say.
The party’s vote share did not show any significant improvement in the two seats, but the division of the opposition vote helped the ruling party manage victories in both. Large number of candidates — Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar accounting for 93 and Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal 71 — saw to it that votes were split, benefiting the TRS.
Lessons for BJP
The election has lessons for the BJP, which was in aggressive posturing since its victory in the Dubbak by-poll and spectacular show in the GHMC elections. Its sitting MLC N. Ramachander Rao lost the election, albeit after putting up a spirited fight with counting spilling over to the third preference votes. G. Premender Reddy ended up poor fourth in the Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam seat.
BJP leaders are now trying to pass the blame to others rather than introspecting the reasons behind the results. Split in the Brahmin vote after the entry of Vani Devi was seen as the main reason behind the defeat in Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar seat while non-cooperation by a section of leaders, who reportedly supported another candidate Naveen alias Teenmaar Mallanna, was said to be the reason for the defeat in the other seat. Mr. Naveen’s impressive performance however, has to do something with his intensive campaign launched much before the announcement of the polls and candidates by other parties.
Bad luck for Congress
The Congress’ bad luck continued in this election too, with its Hyderabad candidate G. Chinna Reddy coming fourth and Nalgonda’s Ramulu Naik ending fifth. The party could not effectively counter the criticism by TRS that Congress had failed PV and his family.
The poll fever will continue till next month as the parties gear up for Nagarjunasagar by-election scheduled on April 17. The TRS cadres are sure to be emboldened by the success while the BJP has to sit down and redraw it campaign strategy. The Congress on the other hand, will be forced to bank heavily on its senior Jana Reddy to turn the tide in its favour.
