HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appears to be charting his own course as part of his national political ambitions at a time when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP is sharpening its strategy to take on the Opposition parties, while the latter formed the Indian National Inclusive Development Alliance (INDIA) with the goal of bringing down the Narendra Modi government in the 2024 general elections.
In his quest to go national, the BRS chief is making forays into Maharashtra by addressing public meetings and inducting into his party several former MLAs, MPs, and leaders.
According to sources, Rao wants the BRS to contest from at least 50 Lok Sabha segments in the country, including Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and some other states. He plans to contest 27 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra alone. Chandrasekhar Rao is learnt to have commissioned a survey by a Delhi-based agency to identify suitable LS constituencies in these States for his party candidates to contest.
He wants to utilise the political uncertainties prevailing in Maharashtra to his advantage. He has turned his focus on the neighbouring State as he sees an opportunity for his party following the vacuum created in the Maharashtra political arena following the recent split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena.
The BRS chief got a head start as around nine former MLAs and four former MPs from Maharashtra have joined the BRS, strengthening the party in several Assembly as well as Lok Sabha segments.
The sources stated that the BRS chief has highlighted his welfare schemes, mainly Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima, in three massive public meetings in Maharashtra.
The BRS chief is also expecting the people of Old Hyderabad state to vote for the BRS and a majority of NCP and Shiv Sena leaders demoralised by the latest developments to shift loyalty to his party.
Rao addressed public meetings in Nanded, Aurangabad, and Nagpur which is an indication that he would field candidates from these constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections.
The party is also focusing on Lok Sabha constituencies which share a border with Telangana’s erstwhile districts of Medak to Adilabad.
The BRS party sources stated that committees have been formed in 27 Lok Sabha segments and the party is likely to appoint booth committees in the coming days. Rao also inaugurated his party office in Nagpur, another indication of the importance he attaches to Maharashtra to cement his place in national politics.
Maharashtra leaders start campaign
The leaders who joined from several parties have already started touring the constituencies and are campaigning the BRS schemes which are under implementation in Telangana. They have also adopted the BRS chief’s slogan “ab ki bar kisan sarkar”.
Meanwhile, Rao has decided to visit Maharashtra on August 1 to participate in Annabhapu Sathe’s birth anniversary, who was a prominent social reformer. The programme will be held in Vetagwa taluka in Sangli district. The party chief has also focused on Madhya Pradesh to contest four to five Lok Sabha segments where prominent personalities like Buddasen Patel who is a former MP and others are also likely to contest for Lok Sabha.
Several prominent leaders from Odisha including former CM Gamang’s son Shishir Gamang and from Koraput former MP Jayaram Pangi is expected to contest on BRS party tickets.
The Delhi-based agency, which KCR commissioned, is identifying strong leaders from NCP, Congress, BJD, and other parties who are unhappy with the party leadership and is encouraging them to join BRS. Political analysts are of the view that if the BRS chief wins at least 20 of the 50 Lok Sabha seats his party would contest, it would be a great achievement.
It would give him the necessary heft to play a key role in national politics where battle lines are drawn between NDA and Opposition parties for capturing power at the Centre in the 2024 general elections. He might be approached by either camp if they fall short of numbers and in which case, he would be calling the shots.