Curtains were drawn on Thursday on a hectic and feverish election campaign in Warangal (SC) lok Sabha constituency in Telangana where three major political parties were locked in keen contest. The fight was being closely watched as this is the first acid test of the TRS Government in Telangana since it came to power in May last year.
While the ruling TRS was confident of retaining its seat in its traditional stronghold, Opposition Congress and the BJP-TDP alliance also adopted an offensive posture banking their campaign on the failures of the one-and-a-half-year-old TRS Government in the State.
Polling is scheduled for Saturday and votes will be counted on Monday. Security has been tightened further in view of the call of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) to the people to boycott the elections in protest against the “tyrannical attitude” of the Chief Minister.
Facing some anti-incumbency on account of the farmers’ suicide and cotton growers’ anger on not getting the minimum support program, TRS pulled out all the stops in its campaign to win the hearts. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who came under attack from the Opposition for his “arrogance” personally campaigned for the TRS candidate Dayakar.
Addressing a mammoth election meeting in Warangal KCR said, “If I deviate from my promises, you can stone me to death”, he said.
Stressing that his Government had delivered on most of the election promises made in 2014, KCR said that he will continue his hard work till the poverty was eradicated completely and all sections of the people including the SC, ST, OBC and minorities progress and develop economically.
KCR also promised to bring one crore acres of land under irrigation. Recalling the role played by the TRS in the struggle for separate Telangana state, KCR said, “the people who kept quiet for the sake of power and posts are attacking me today”, he said.
TRS campaigners faced opposition and interruptions from the people at many places reflecting the hard reality that it was losing support among the masses. In one incident a Dalit threw foot wear at the Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari and spent 10 days in jail before he was released on bail.
Apart form the Dalit organisation Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti, the joint Action Committee of Osmania University also called people to vote against the TRS.
But the Muslim political party MIM extended its support to the TRS.
Apart from the Chief Minister, his children K Tarakarama Rao (Minister) and K Kavita (MP) and nephew Harish Rao (Minister), Deputy Chief Minister and
several other Ministers and MPs extensively campaigned for the last fortnight.
The TDP had left the seat to its ally the BJP which fielded an NRI doctor P Devaiah. Union Minister of State Bandaru Dattatreya and State BJP president G Kishan Reddy, State TDP president l Ramanna, working president Revanth Reddy and TDP leader in Assembly E Dayakar Rao sought the support of the people charging the TRS Government with corruption and failure on all front.
The campaign for the Congress candidate Sarve Satyanarayana figured many national leaders of Congress including party general secretary Digvijay Singh and former Speaker Miera Kumar.
But Congress was at a distinct disadvantage as it had to change its candidate midstream following the mysterious incident at the residence of its earlier candidate S Rajaiah. His daughter in law and three grand children died in an accident leading to the arrest of the entire family including the candidate. His replace Sarve Satyanarayana and the BJP candidate P Devaiah are both outsiders.
Observers say the division in the Opposition votes will help the TRS in retaining the seat which had fallen vacant following the resignation of Kadiam Srihari. He switched over to the State legislature to become Deputy Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, as part of the security arrangements the administration has shutdown all the liquor shops and bars in Warangal district from Thursday till the end of the polling.
Election officials seized cash of Rs1.79 crore and 4314 litre of liquor during the campaign.