HYDERABAD: It’s the stuff movies are made of. Come tomorrow, when results of the Assembly elections are announced, Telangana could witness a political thriller unfold in case it is a hung verdict — when no party or alliance gets a clear majority.
The main players — Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Congress-led People’s Front — will need larger numbers to form a government. Where will these numbers come from?
Exit polls indicate a clear advantage for TRS. However, if it fails to muster a majority on its own, either the AIMIM or BJP could end up playing kingmaker.
The first possibility involves TRS forming the government with the support of AIMIM and Independents, forcing the People’s Front to sit in the Opposition. In this case, BJP will have little role to play since it cannot side with TRS, due to its involvement with AIMIM, an ideological rival. It cannot support the Congress-led Front either, thanks to their decades-long rivalry.
BJP’s official representative Krishna Sagar Rao has categorically stated that the saffron party would not support any party in case of a hung Assembly. Of course, the BJP’s abstention from voting in a possible confidence motion in the Assembly will only help TRS.
Meanwhile, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday maintained that ‘friend’ TRS would have no trouble getting a clear majority. Despite being prodded by journalists, Owaisi did not say who he would support if it’s a hung verdict. It may be noted that AIMIM has had a friendly relationship with Congress in the past, similar to the one it has with TRS now.
While TRS might ultimately be able to get AIMIM’s support, the possibility of it moving towards Congress cannot be ruled out. If the Owaisis see Congress do well in the five States that went to polls last month, they could change tack and support the grand old party once again. Some Independents, including Congress rebels Malreddy Ranga Reddy and Shivakumar Reddy, could support the Front as well.
Horsetrading ‘sanctions’
To prevent its MLAs from ‘trading’ themselves, Cong’s ‘go-to men’ during hung verdicts such as DK Shiva Kumar are trying to devise plans of action to keep them away from rival camps. Will TS get its first taste of resort politics?