New Delhi: The Telangana Assembly elections, which are slated for Thursday, will see a three-way battle among the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress. The polling will take place for all 119 constituencies from 7 am to 6 pm.
Here are some of the key constituencies that will determine the political outcome of the state.
KCR’s Dual Challenge
The incumbent Chief Minister and the founder of BRS, K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, is facing a tough challenge from both the BJP and the Congress. He is contesting from two seats: his original seat, Gajwel, and Kamareddy. In the 2018 elections, KCR won Gajwel by over 58,000 votes. This time, he is up against BJP leader Etela Rajender in Gajwel and Congress state unit chief Revanth Reddy in Kamareddy.
His son and Telangana minister K T Rama Rao is also in the fray from the Sircilla seat, which he won in 2018 by a huge margin of over 89,000 votes.
Etela Rajender And Revanth Reddy’s Double Gamble
Both Etela Rajender and Revanth Reddy are also contesting from two seats, with Etela in Huzurabad and Revanth Reddy in Kodangal. Etela, who was once a close aide of KCR, quit BRS and joined BJP in June this year. He is hoping to dent KCR’s vote bank in Gajwel and Huzurabad. Revanth Reddy, who is the Congress state president, is trying to revive his party’s fortunes in Kamareddy and Kodangal.
Korutla, Maheshwaram, And Goshamahal: The Hotspots
A spotlight is on Korutla, where the BJP has fielded Lok Sabha member Arvind Dharmapuri against BRS’s Kalvakuntla Sanjay and Congress’s Narsinga Rao Juvvadi. Dharmapuri is banking on his popularity among the youth and the farmers to win the seat.
In Maheshwaram, BRS has pitted Patlolla Sabitha Indra Reddy against K Laxma Reddy (Congress) and Andela Sriramulu Yadav (BJP). Sabitha Reddy is the daughter of former chief minister Marri Channa Reddy and a former home minister. She is facing a tough fight from Laxma Reddy, who is a four-time MLA from the constituency.
Goshamahal features BJP’s T Raja Singh, whose suspension was revoked last month, contesting against significant opposition. Raja Singh is known for his controversial and communal remarks and is facing several cases. He is challenged by BRS’s Prem Singh Rathore and Congress’s Mukesh Goud.
Akbaruddin Owaisi Vs T Raja Singh
A staunch critic of the BJP’s T Raja Singh and the younger brother of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Akbaruddin Owaisi, is contesting from the Chandrayangutta constituency. Akbaruddin Owaisi is the floor leader of AIMIM in the Telangana Assembly and has won the seat five times in a row. He is expected to retain his seat despite the BJP’s efforts to woo the Hindu voters.
Mahbubnagar, LB Nagar, And Bhupalapally: The Close Contests
In Mahbubnagar, V Srinivas Goud (BRS) faces competition from AP Mithun Kumar Reddy of BJP and Yennam Srinivas Reddy of Congress. Srinivas Goud is the minister for excise, sports, and youth services in the KCR cabinet. He is banking on his development works and the BRS’s welfare schemes to win the seat. Mithun Kumar Reddy is the son of former MP AP Jithender Reddy, who joined BJP from BRS in 2019. He is hoping to cash in on the Modi wave and the BJP’s campaign. Yennam Srinivas Reddy is a former MLA and a senior Congress leader. He is relying on his personal rapport with the voters and the anti-incumbency factor to win the seat.
In LB Nagar, BJP’s Sama Ranga Reddy competes against Madhu Yaskhi Goud of Congress and Devireddy Sudhir Reddy (BRS). Ranga Reddy is a former MLA and a prominent leader of the BJP in the state. He is confident of winning the seat with the support of the urban voters and the BJP’s national leadership. Madhu Yaskhi Goud is a former MP and a spokesperson of the Congress. He is trying to woo the voters with his experience and the Congress’s promises. Devireddy Sudhir Reddy is the sitting MLA and a minister for energy in the KCR cabinet. He is highlighting his achievements and the BRS’s flagship programs to retain the seat.
Bhupalapally seat holds significance, with Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy representing BRS, Gandra Satyanarayana Rao from Congress, and G Keerthi Reddy from BJP. Venkata Ramana Reddy is the brother-in-law of KCR and a former Congress leader who joined BRS in 2018. He is facing a tough challenge from his brother Satyanarayana Rao, who is a three-time MLA and a loyalist of the Congress. Keerthi Reddy is the daughter of former minister G Vivekananda, who also joined BJP from BRS in 2019. She is hoping to make a mark with the BJP’s support and the anti-incumbency factor.
Ramagundam, Peddapalli, And Madhira: The Interesting Battles
In Ramagundam, BRS’s Korukanti Chander Patel competes against Congress’s Makkan Singh Raj Thakur and BJP’s Kandula Sandhya Rani. Chander Patel is the sitting MLA and a former TRS leader who joined BRS in 2018. He is banking on his popularity and the BRS’s schemes to win the seat. Makkan Singh Raj Thakur is a former MLA and a senior Congress leader.
He is trying to regain his seat with the support of the SC, ST, and BC voters. Sandhya Rani is the wife of former minister Somarapu Satyanarayana, who joined BJP from BRS in 2019. She is hoping to benefit from the BJP’s campaign and the Modi factor.
Peddapalli seat features the Congress candidate Chinthakunta Vijaya Ramana Rao against Pradeep Kumar Dugyala of the BJP and Dasari Manohar Reddy of BRS. Vijaya Ramana Rao is a former MLA and a prominent leader of the Congress in the state. He is confident of winning the seat with the backing of the Reddy community and the Congress’s alliance partners.
Pradeep Kumar Dugyala is a young and dynamic leader of the BJP. He is trying to attract the youth and the urban voters with his vision and the BJP’s promises. Manohar Reddy is the sitting MLA and a minister for transport in the KCR cabinet. He is highlighting his development works and the BRS’s welfare programs to retain the seat.
Madhira Assembly constituency is set to witness a face-off between Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and BRS’s Kamal Raju Lingala, with Bhatti winning by a small margin in previous elections. Bhatti Vikramarka is the leader of the opposition and the working president of the Congress in the state.
He is banking on his experience and the Congress’s manifesto to win the seat. Kamal Raju Lingala is a former TRS leader who joined BRS in 2018. He is hoping to defeat Bhatti Vikramarka with the support of the Kamma community and the BRS’s popularity.
Nizamabad Urban: The Battle Of Reddys
In Nizamabad Urban, BRS has fielded Goverdhan Bajireddy against Bhoopathi Reddy Rekulapally (Congress) and Dinesh Kumar Kulachari of the BJP. Goverdhan Bajireddy is the sitting MLA and a former TRS leader who joined BRS in 2018. He is facing a tough challenge from Bhoopathi Reddy Rekulapally, who is a former MLA and a close aide of Revanth Reddy. Dinesh Kumar Kulachari is a former minister and a senior leader of the BJP. He is trying to make a comeback with the BJP’s support and the Modi wave.