Telangana By-Election: Loss of Face For KCR

KCR, the Telangana Chief Minister, is a worried man now. His utterances after the shocking verdict of Huzurabad Assembly constituency where he issued all foul words against his political opponents and announcement of a fight against the Centre for the alleged injustice to his State all confirm his confusion after the political hit he got. It was KCR who raised the pitch of rhetoric in Huzurabad by ridiculing the challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party and its candidate. He called the fight as inconsequential claiming the support of the Telangana Samaj through his innovative welfare schemes catering to all the communities in society. As the campaign peaked and the Intelligence-wing reported a spurt in support for the BJP, KCR changed the tracks by deputing his nephew and ministerial colleague T Harish Rao to take charge of the election campaign in Huzurabad. Harish Rao is billed as a grand strategist of TRS, capable of winning any election for his party. KCR put all his financial might and administrative patronage on the constituency. Money power was in full display where the voters were offered over Rs 5,000 for each vote. KCR announced a special unimplementable scheme aimed at the Dalit vote bank as that community forms over 30 per cent in that constituency.  That was a huge bait for attracting Dalit votes as that program is planned to dole out 10 lakhs to each Dalit family in the State. That the Dalit voters saw through the electoral bait and choose to move away from KCR and his TRS and preferred BJP and its candidate Eatala Rajender and that is apparent from the result where KCR’s party lost the election by over 22 thousand votes.

It was the second defeat for KCR in the hands of BJP in the by-elections. Exactly a year ago, KCR was shown his place in the Dubbaka by-election where BJP emerged victorious. This was followed by the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election where BJP reduced TRS numbers and forced KCR to join the rabid communal MIM party for Mayor Chair. Despite losing Nagarjuna Sagar by-election in between, BJP could recover and snatch Huzurabad and establish itself as the challenger for power, pushing Congress to the third spot, in Telangana.

The shame on KCR was compounded as the BJP candidate, Eatala Rajender was unceremoniously sent out of the party by him and whom he never wanted to be back to the house. Till now, KCR thought that whoever challenged him will go into oblivion thus paving the way for anointing his son KTR as the next CM. However with one by-election result KCR was humbled. It was a masterstroke on the part of Eatala Rajender to challenge KCR by joining BJP. 

KCR put all his financial might and administrative patronage on the constituency. Money power was in full display where the voters were offered over Rs 5,000 for each vote 

The election results have established two things. One, the Telangana voters are not happy with KCR and his family centric rule. People realised that KCR is playing with their emotions to retain power and through his rule helped his family fortunes to grow. “It is KCR, his family, close relatives and his own community which are the real beneficiaries of the agitation for separate statehood and its ultimate creation” was what common voters said during the Huzurabad campaign. The common Telangana voters fed on Golden Telangana are highly disappointed as the State which was financially surplus on the day of its creation is now debt ridden, on par with residuary Andhra Pradesh which was wronged through the bi-furcation Act. Instead of progressive rule, KCR often idolises Nizam rule and follows the same oppressive methods of that Muslim ruler on people. Any comment on the family-centric rule or complaint against the horrible civic conditions in the capital city or exposure of high corruption in administration is always met with foisted police cases. Teen Maar Mallanna, a youth icon of Telangana who runs a  channel on YouTube and exposes KCR on every move was recently held behind bars for over 70 days on false cases. This harassment is so common in Telangana and reminds the people of the situation their elders encountered under the Nizam prior to 1948. That hugely popular Mallanna is likely to join to continue his fight with KCR and that very hint is giving KCR sleepless nights.  

KCR now stands fully exposed on the promises he made and the actual work he is doing. His first promise of making Dalit as first CM of Telangana was belied. His promise of 3 acres of land for each Dalit family is a non-starter. His two bedroom free house remained a dream even after the 7 year rule of his party. Now the poor people fear forcible takeover of their lands which they have been tilling for over 50 years by the Government to hand over the erstwhile landlords who are largely from the KCR community. It was against the tyranny of these ‘lords’ that people revolted in Nizam’s time. Unemployment is rising in Telangana and promised jobs are not to be seen under KCR’s rule. The youth is ready to fight for their rights and BJP is giving the support thus catching the imagination of  all the sections.

BJP is rejuvenated and KCR is faced with a belligerent young team which can take on in his own slang. The young team led by State party president Bandi Sanjay and articulate young Dharmapuri Aravind, who defeated KCR’s daughter Kavita in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, are already fighting with facts. Now joined by elected MLAs Raghunandan and Etala Rajender, BJP is taking on the family rule of KCR.

Interesting political days are ahead in Telangana. The BJP is planning to tackle KCR with his own medicine of building popularity through by-elections. During the height of separate State agitation, KCR repeatedly forced elections on Telangana voters by the resignations of his party MLAs and MPs. Through by-elections KCR milked the separate State sentiment. BJP is expecting at least three by-elections. The likely disqualification of a TRS MLA, whose nationality is suspect, resignation of a disgruntled Congress MLA and a TRS MLA will lead to by-elections. Five of the TRS MLAs, who are close to Etala Rajender, are closely watched and if they choose to come out and join BJP, as their mentor did, it will be a huge embarrassment for KCR and advantage to BJP.  

The victorious Etala Rajender claimed that his reentry into Assembly is a loss of face for KCR and also said that he will expose KCR and his family on the floor of assembly. The mode of working of KCR is rather peculiar and undemocratic where the decisions are taken in Indira Gandhi’s dictatorial style. His weightage to the family interest is also akin to the Congress party. KCR who started his political career in Congress (I) and who is an admirer of Indira Gandhi is apparently following the Indira model of running the party and Government. KCR encouraged defections to bolster his own position and now his cabinet is full of people who won the elections either on Congress or TDP ticket and opponents of Telangana movement. The real fighters for separate statehood are now left with no role in power and are unhappy with their positions. Many of them are looking for a way to fight KCR’s family centric rule and looking for reliable support for their cause.

With BJP in ascendancy in Telangana, KCR knew what is in store for him in the coming months. So post Huzurabad by-election he is trying to divert the issues through fake allegations against the Centre. The falsehood of KCR allegations are countered by the Union Ministers. PM Narendra Modi’s observation, at the national executive meet, that “Telangana is waiting for the change and looking for BJP” is the message for the Telangana-unit of the party. It is time for the BJP to plan and capture Telangana along with Karnataka in 2023.