HYDERABAD: The battle lines for Telangana State Assembly elections will be drawn officially today, with the filing of nominations by candidates. While the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi is entirely banking on ‘positive vote” in the first election to the country’s youngest State, it is a “do-or-die” situation for Congress, which is leading a five-party Grand Alliance.
TRS, which is determined to retain power, is expecting support from beneficiaries of its schemes like, Asara pension, uninterrupted power supply and input subsidy for farmers. According to the party’s own estimates, there are over 60,000 beneficiaries of various schemes in each Assembly segment, excluding Rythu Bandhu.
“This is a crucial election for the State,” says K Laxma Reddy, who was the Health Minister in the TRS government. “TRS spearheaded the first phase of Telangana movement —which was to realise a separate State. Now, to succeed in the second phase, which is rebuilding a new State, people must support the party,” he said while dismissing the Congress-TDP alliance as “unholy”.
On the other hand, Congress is confident that the vote bank of five parties in the Grand Alliance is bigger than that of TRS. Having been out of power for five years, the grand old party has promised everything under the sun to voters who help them overthrow the “corrupt”, “family rule” of KCR and his party. “Only the Grand Alliance can ensure faster development of Telangana,” TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy has claimed.
Smaller fries in the fray are also putting up a spirited fight. While the CPM has formed a Bahujan Left Front, comprising more than 28 parties, as an alternative to ‘Bourgeois parties’, the BJP is hoping to ride on the “development wave” of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to improve its prospects in the southern State. As the last date for filing nominations is November 19, almost all parties are likely to release their final list of candidates over the next eight days. Similarly, as no party has so far released its election manifesto more promises and tall claims are likely to be doled out.
Though it currently looks like a multi-cornered contest, the 2.73-crore-strong electorate of the State will decide which way it will sway.
Parties in the fray
TRS - TRS is going alone in the elections
Grand Alliance
Congress, TDP, Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS), CPI and Telangana Inti Party (TIP).
BJP - BJP forged an alliance with Telangana Yuva Party (TYP)
BLF - The CPM led Bhajuna Left Front is having more than 28 parties including the Left and Ambedkarite parties.
POLL SCHEDULE
Filing of nominations
From November 12
Last date for filing nominations November 19
Scrutiny of nominations November 20
Last date for withdrawal of nominations November 22
Date of poll December 7
Date of counting December 11