• Keen tussle for Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar seat
• TRS using all its network to defeat BJP
Hyderabad: For the first time in recent memory, the elections to the Legislative Council are fought fiercely with no holds barred. Interestingly, almost all the parties fielded capable candidates. The sitting BJP member N. Ramachandra Rao had a lead at the beginning in Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahaboobnagar graduates constituency. Prof. K.Nageshwar, an independent candidate, who is a former legislator who commands respect among the graduates, has been interacting with people continuously through social media. Surabhi Vanidevi is an educationist who has been running colleges and is also the daughter of former prime minister, PV Narasimha Rao.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao had taken a decision rather late in the case of this constituency. He decided to field Vanidevi two days before the time for nomination ended. He has energized the campaign by entrusting Ranga Reddy district to Harish Rao and Hyderabad to Gangula Kamalakar. All the ministers and MLAs belonging to the ruling party have been straining themselves to canvass for the TRS candidate. Fielding a Brahmin and that to the daughter of a former prime minister, an icon in this party of the country, is a shrewd move on the part of the TRS president. He involved all the party machinery. KCR is bent upon defeating N. Ramachandra Rao, a BJP candidate. He has nothing against Ramachandra Rao personally. But he wants to teach a lesson to the BJP for what it did in Dubbaka by election and the elections to GHMC. That was the reason why he chose Vanidevi as the party candidate. If she wins, it is a great morale booster for KCR. If she loses and makes Ramachandra Rao also lose it is also ok. In the process, K.Nageshwar might win. So be it.
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Nageshwar has been trying to convey a message that he is not supported by TRS at any time as being propagated by the BJP. He said the social media outfits close to the BJP have been saying time and again that he met KCR at the latter’s farm house to request for support. He denied it flatly saying that he does not know how to go to farm house or its whereabouts. He has been arguing right from the beginning the TRS as a ruling party would definitely have its own candidate and the question of it supporting his candidature does not arise at all. As an independent candidate, he is seeking voters of the graduates of South Telangana region who know him well and respect him for what he is and what he stands for.
Ramachandra Rao also is confident. He said soon after the candidature of Vanidevi was announced that even if KCR himself were to be the candidate, he would not be able to stop him from winning the seat once again. The BJP wave that had started with Dubbaka by election continues to blow even after GHMC elections. The RSS workers have been working overtime in their inimitable cool and sophisticated style of canvassing. As a member of the legislative council, he was available to the people and his performance cannot be faulted. He is also a successful advocate who is well connected with the graduates. He started his campaign very early calling graduates and helping them to register as voters.
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The Congress candidate Chinna Reddy is no pushover either. He was a minister and an MLA who is known to be dynamic. He is also highly educated and sophisticated. The Congress party has a vote to the tune of a minimum of 20 percent across Telangana and all social groups. With Revanth Reddy spearheading the campaign, and leaders like PCC president Captain Uttam Kumar Reddy supporting him, Chinna Reddy is confident of getting good number of votes. The contest by the TDP candidate L. Ramana is only a symbolic one. But the main fight appears to the among Ramachandra Rao, Vanidevi and Nageshwar, not necessarily in that order.
