Hyderabad: Warangal Lok Sabha by-poll result has not come as a shock to the opposition Congress in Telangana. The defeat of the Congress was expected but the victory margin of the ruling TRS is certainly a matter of huge disappointment for them. The Congress which created the state of Telangana in the hope that the ‘grateful’ populace would back the party for fulfilling their dream, has suffered yet another humiliating defeat in India’s newest state. The TRS led by K Chandrashekhara Rao swept the polls (both Assembly and Lok Sabha in 2014) and formed the first government in the state. In the last 18 months, the TRS popularity has taken some beating and the Congress was claiming that it was on the road to recovery. The result of Warangal has proved that KCR is still in command and the Congress is no match to him.
On the last day of nominations, the Congress candidate and former MP Rajaiah had to withdraw his candidature after his daughter-in-law and her three small children were burnt alive under mysterious circumstances. Rajaiah, his wife and son were arrested under murder charges. An embarrassed Congress, left with no other options fielded former Union minister Survey Sathyanarayana at the eleventh hour. The fate of the Congress was sealed on the same day.
However, some local Congress leaders were hoping that the party would give a good fight and lose the seat by less than a lakh votes.
The Warangal result has strengthened the hands of TRS head and Chief Minister KCR. The election to Warangal was necessitated after KCR summarily dismissed his deputy chief minister Dr Rajaiah and replaced him with Warangal MP Kadiam Srihari. KCR feiled a young, newcomer Dayakar Pasunoori, who has designed the emblem and logo of Telangana state. The entire election was fought in the name of KCR. KCR, his son and minister KT Ramarao and daughter MP K Kavitha had campaigned extensively in the constituency. It was a personal battle for the ruling family. Even if the TRS’ victory margin was less than a lakh, rivals would have targeted the KCR clan. By securing the Warangal seat for the party once again, the KCR clan has proved that it still controls the new state.
The TDP and BJP will have to rework their strategy, if they want to remain relevant in Telangana. The biggest loser is Congress and it will surely demoralise the cadre further.
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