HYDERABAD: While predicting election results for Hyderabad appears to be easy when it comes to seven seats, analysts find it tough to take a call on the remaining eight segments. Ahead of the Assembly polls, the ruling BRS, Congress, BJP and AIMIM have stepped up efforts to secure a major share of the seats. In 2018, BRS won seven of the 15 Assembly seats, the AIMIM retained seven and the BJP secured the Goshamahal constituency.
Analysts believe that 2023 will see a tough fight between the BRS and BJP for the eight seats, with the Congress possibly benefiting from the split in votes. The AIMIM faces no challenges in seven seats and is expected to comfortably retain them.
The BJP had won 46 GHMC divisions and is keen to do just as well in the Assembly elections. The party is working hard in segments like Khairatabad, Amberpet, Musheerabad, Goshamahal, Karwan, Nampally, Jubilee Hills and Sanathnagar where it has a good vote share and influential leaders.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has been touring Amberpet, his constituency while Ramchandra Reddy and Raja Singh are active in Khairatabad and Goshamahal respectively. There is no clarity yet on the Musheerabad segment that was the constituency of Rajya Sabha member K Laxman. Sources believe that the seat may be allocated to Vikram Goud, son of former minister Mukesh Goud, who recently joined the BJP from the Congress.
The BJP is also likely to field former Congress leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy from the Sanathnagar seat, which is currently represented by Talasani Srinivas Yadav. The party is keen to field a strong candidate for the Jubilee Hills seat and is in discussions to bring in a former MLA to contest from the segment. BJP leaders are also keen on Karwan and Nampally segments and are in discussions with leaders from both the BRS and Congress.On the other hand, the BRS is focusing on the segments that it won in 2018.
The party is undertaking various development activities like building flyovers, a cable bridge, and new roads under SRDP, among others. Talasani is touring all constituencies and reviewing the progress of pending work. Talasani is also focusing on resolving issues faced by party cadres in the nomination process, which have been pending for the past two years.
Meanwhile, the Congress is facing serious problems in Hyderabad district. The Congress leadership has initiated moves to revamp the party in the district and has divided the city into three sections. The party has appointed presidents for Khairatabad DCC, Hyderabad DCC while it has not yet finalised the Secunderabad DCC president.
Former CLP leader P Janardhan Reddys daughter P Vijaya Reddy recently joined the Congress from BRS and is expecting a ticket for the Khairatabad seat. Khairatabad DCC president Rohin Reddy is also expecting the ticket and it would be interesting to see who the party backs.
According to sources, former Union minister Renuka Chowdary is keen on the Jubilee Hills seat which has been nurtured by former MLA P Vishnuvarhdan Reddy. Similarly, Youth Congress leader Anil Kumar Yadav has been nurturing the Musheerabad constituency, touring it regularly and addressing peoples issues. Feroz Khan too has been active in the Nampally segment.
However, the Congress lacks strong leaders in Sanathnagar, Cantonment, Secunderabad, Karwan, Amberpet, Goshamahal, Malakpet etc. Some party candidates were unable to retain deposits in GHMC elections, leaving the party leadership worried. Interestingly, the Telugu Desam Party is also likely to field its candidates in segments like Jubilee hills, Khairatabad, Sanathnagar, Secunderabad, Musheerabad and Goshamahal.