HYDERABAD: With less than three weeks left before voters choose their representative for Parliament, campaigning is picking up in Telangana.
While the Congress is yet to finalise candidates for three seats of the 17 seats in the state, the party has intensified its campaign. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the party’s star campaigner, is touring the constituencies and addressing massive rallies while his party candidates file their nomination papers.
The Telangana unit of the Congress plans to rope in its top leaders, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, in the coming days.
Priyanka is likely to address a major public meeting in Adilabad or Nizamabad in the next 10 days, while Rahul is expected to address two mammoth public meetings covering Malkajgiri, Bhongir, Secunderabad and Medak Lok Sabha seats.
Revanth plans to address around 20 public meetings and 15 roadshows across all the Lok Sabha constituencies to help the party achieve its target of winning at least 14 seats in the state. Other ministers in charge of various Lok Sabha segments too are focusing on their constituencies and will remain there until the elections conclude.
The BJP too has set a target of winning at least double-digit seats in the state. BJP national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and party president JP Nadda are expected to participate in more roadshows and public meetings in the next 20 days. Amit Shah is scheduled to address a public meeting in Siddipet on April 25, covering the Medak Lok Sabha constituency.
Modi is likely to address two massive public meetings, one on April 27 covering Mahbubnagar, Chevella, Secunderabad and Hyderabad, and the other covering Bhongir, Nalgonda and Warangal constituencies. Other prominent campaigners will participate in roadshows across various constituencies.
The BRS too has intensified its campaign, with party supremo and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao addressing several public meetings. KCR is also focusing on farmer issues such as withered crops and water scarcity. He plans to embark on a bus yatra starting from April 24, covering Miryalaguda to Sircilla and Siddipet, addressing roadshows along the way. The BRS is concentrating on 10 Lok Sabha constituencies where it expects tight contests.
AIMIM president and Hyderabad sitting MP Asaduddin Owaisi is actively campaigning, conducting door-to-door visits and addressing corner meetings in his constituency. Party leaders are engaging in local meetings, addressing gatherings, and criticising the BJP Madhavi Latha.
As the campaign intensifies, candidates are employing all possible means to connect with voters and secure their support.