HYDERABAD: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is trying for a hat-trick, is mainly banking on “KCR-mantra” and “KCR-magic” in the next Assembly elections too. Though, there is a talk in political circles that TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao may drop some of the sitting MLAs and field new faces in the next Assembly elections, the insiders in the party are ruling out the possibility. “It is not the individual MLA or the Minister that matters for the party in winning the polls. KCR-mantra will help the party to win the next Assembly elections too,” a confident party leader said.
The reason behind this analysis by the TRS honchos is that the leaders of all the Opposition parties are targeting KCR and his family. “If KCR-magic works, any nondescript leader may also win with huge majority in any Assembly election. If there is no KCR-magic, then any leader, however strong and popular he may be, will be defeated,” a party leader pointed out.
Sources in the ruling party said that when Chandrasekhar Rao dissolved the Assembly and opted early polls in 2018, then some party leaders suggested him to drop around 35 to 40 sitting MLAs, as they are facing rough weather in their segments. But, Rao refused the same stating that his personal image and the party’s popularity would help them win. Rao’s prediction came true later and the TRS won 88 Assembly seats in December, 2018.
In the same way, Rao may not drop a huge number of sitting MLAs in the next Assembly elections too. “If at all Rao decides to change some candidates, then there will be chances of dropping around half-a-dozen MLAs and no more,” a party leader said.
The TRS leaders strongly believed that the people would chant “KCR-mantra” this time too, because of the vast development that had happened in the state. Moreover, there was no strong leader in the Opposition, they pointed out. “KCR is a towering personality not only in Telangana but also at the national level. Rao is a two-time Chief Minister and former Union Minister. Moreover, he achieved separate Telangana. No leader is a match to KCR in the state,” the confident TRS leader said.
The TRS leaders also pointed out that BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was just a corporator and unsuccessfully contested as an MLA. “Sanjay is not a seasoned politician and he is no match to a leader of the stature of KCR,” the TRS leaders felt.
The TRS leaders said that PCC chief A Revanth Reddy had no control over the party till date. “Some leaders in the Congress are opposing his leadership. Even if the Congress high command gave full freedom and power to Revanth to field the candidates of his choice in the Assembly polls, the local Congress leaders may oppose his choice of candidates,” a TRS leader analysed.
Besides, Revanth Reddy is known only for abusive speeches rather than enthralling the audience with thoughtful oratory skills. “Revanth Reddy is known in Telangana as a loyalist of Andhra Pradesh former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Thus, Telanganites may not accept his leadership,” averred another TRS leader.
“Finally, it is KCR’s charm which will pack a punch in the next Assembly elections too. TRS government’s welfare and development works, the existence of Telangana and other positive issues will dominate the next elections. Furthermore, TRS is a synonym for Telangana even today among the masses,” said a TRS leader exuding confidence.
‘KCR’s family always under Oppn attack’
The reason behind this analysis by the TRS honchos is that the leaders of all the Opposition parties are targeting the KCR and his family