HYDERABAD : The strategy by the Congress and BJP of putting in motion “Operation Akarsh” to attract top BRS leaders into their fold appears to have had only partial success, leaving the two parties fretting as the Lok Sabha elections loom closer.
The Congress and BJP extended invitations to sitting and former MPs and MLAs, as well as prominent figures from the BRS, following which the leaders started migrating from the BRS to the two national parties.
However, the situation has proven to be more complex than the Congress and BJP expected since second-tier BRS leaders and the original cadre remain loyal to the pink party. With this, the calculations of the two parties have gone awry since securing the support of these grassroots members was crucial to their long-term goal of winning a majority of the LS seats in the state.
In its bid to sway BRS loyalists, the BJP gave tickets to turncoats from the BRS in constituencies like Zaheerabad (BB Patil) and Nagarkurnool (P Bharat, son of P Ramulu). While Peddapalli MP Venkatesh Netha who joined BJP is not contesting, former BRS MP Godem Nagesh is the saffron party candidate for the Adilabad LS seat and former MLA Wardhanpet Aroori Ramesh is contesting from Warangal. Former Huzurnagar MLA S Saidi Reddy is contesting for the Nalgonda seat.
However, the assertive campaigning by BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has put pressure on the BJP’s prospects in these areas. The BJP expected at least a 10% vote shift, but this does not appear to be happening due to KCR’s aggressive campaigning. The Congress too adopted a similar strategy, fielding candidates who migrated from the BRS in constituencies such as Malkajgiri (P Suneetha Mahender Reddy), Chevella (G Ranjith Reddy), Secunderabad (Danam Nagender) and Warangal (Kadiyam Kavya, daughter of Kadiyam Srihari). The aim was to win by tapping into at least 5% to 8% of the BRS vote bank. The Congress also welcomed ex-MLA Madhan Reddy from Narsapur (under Medak LS), former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal (under Adilabad LS), former MLA and BJP leader Kuna Srisailam Goud from Quthbullapur (under Malkajgiri LS) and others into its fold.
Both the parties are aware that the BRS vote share will be key in determining the outcome in several segments. This has been the reason they are now focusing on wooing these voters. However, with the BRS working hard on retaining the party’s support base, the success of these efforts remains uncertain.