The Congress is on its way to achieving the magic mark of 60 seats on Sunday to form the first non-BRS Government in Telangana. This southern success comes in the midst of a saffron sweep of the Hindi heartland, where the BJP wrested two States from its rival and retained one.
Telangana becomes the second southern State in the Congress kitty in 2023, after it emerged triumphant in Karnataka in May.
Factors such as anti-incumbency, voter fatigue, and dissatisfaction among the youth contributed mainly to the poor performance of BRS.
Despite the towering image of incumbent Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, along with the party's extensive grassroots network and welfare programmes, the perceived inaccessibility of its leaders contributed to the growing anti-incumbency sentiments.
Additionally, the Opposition projection of what they called the BRS family rule in the State further exacerbated this sentiment. The Congress had mounted a spirited election campaign with a view to unseat BRS, even as the BJP also launched a no holds-barred attack against the ruling dispensation.
According to the Election Commission figures till the reports, the grand old party registered a massive lead against the ruling BRS, as the party won 47 seats and was ahead in another 17 of the 119 Assembly seats. The BRS, which has 101 members in the outgoing Assembly, emerged victorious in 22 and was leading in 17 others till last filed. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao submitted his resignation to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan following his party's poor performance. The Governor has asked Rao to continue in office till the formation of the new Government.
The BJP bettered its tally, winning six seats and was leading in two other segments, according to the EC update.
It has three members in the outgoing Assembly. The AIMIM won five seats and was leading in two. The Congress good show sparked off celebrations by party workers.
While the BRS Government introduced various welfare schemes, its alleged failure to fulfill key election promises, including providing housing for the poor, ensuring significant job creation, doling out unemployment relief, as well as the delayed implementation of farmers' loan waivers and the leak of recruitment test question papers worked against them.
The BJP was initially considered the main Opposition to the BRS, but the scenario changed after the Congress gained momentum following win in the Karnataka elections in May.
Allegations of an implicit understanding between the BRS and the BJP, particularly regarding the Delhi Excise Policy case involving KCR’s daughter Kavitha, weakened the BJP, leading anti-establishment votes to consolidate in favour of the Congress.
Unlike previous elections where sentiments for separate Statehood played a crucial role, emotional issues did not significantly sway this election. In 2018, the Congress and the TDP formed an alliance, with BRS accusing TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu of being anti-Telangana.
However, the TDP chose not to contest the recent Telangana Assembly election due to ongoing legal issues and Naidu's imprisonment in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) led by YS Sharmila, daughter of former undivided Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, withdrew from the contest, declaring support for the Congress.
The Congress ran an assertive campaign centered on the theme of change, encapsulated in the slogan 'marpu kavali — Congress ravali' (there should be change - Congress should come), which effectively resonated with the electorate. Anumula Revanth Reddy, who led the Congress' charge, finds himself on the brink of a potential chief ministership.
The 56-year-old leader met top police officials of the State and discussed the security arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony, likely on December 4 or 9. He welcomed the people's mandate in favour of the national party while the BRS expressed disappointment over its failure to ensure a hat-trick. BRS working president and KCR's son K T Rama Rao said the Assembly poll results were "disappointing" though he is not "saddened".
Interestingly the BJP’s vote share surged from 7 per cent in 2018 to 13.88 per cent in the present Assembly polls even as its number of seats has gone up to eight. The party also won two by-polls, giving it three members in the outgoing Assembly.
K Venkata Ramana Reddy emerged as a giant killer by defeating the Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao and Telangana PCC chief Revanth Reddy in Kamareddy. He vanquished his nearest rival KCR by a margin of 6,741 votes.
However, on the flip side, all the three BJP Lok Sabha MPs were defeated. Controversial legislator T Raja Singh is the only BJP candidate from the city who won in 2018 Assembly polls and has repeated his feat this time. He retained his Goshamahal seat for the third time in a row.
The BJP's firebrand MP and former State chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar lost to BRS rival Gangula Kamalakar Reddy by 3,163 votes. The BJP's promise of making a Backward Caste candidate as Chief Minister also didn't seem to cut ice with the voters.
