HYDERABAD: Huzurabad voters dealt a body blow to the ruling TRS by electing BJP nominee Eatala Rajender in the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll. Though the State government announced a Rs 2,000 crore Dalit Bandhu scheme exclusively for all the SCs in the segment and also released Rs 2,000 crore, the TRS did not fare well in the village where the scheme was launched. Despite announcing several sops and development works, the car was swept away by the sympathy wave, which favoured Rajender.
Right from ousting Rajender from the Cabinet, the TRS seemed to have moved its pawns in a wrong way. “There should be a way to remove Rajender from the Cabinet. The TRS should not have prompted a bypoll,” opined analysts.During the campaigning, Rajender categorically claimed that it was a fight between his “Aatma Gouravam” (self-respect) and KCR’s “Ahamkaram” (arrogance).
The pink party seemed to have sensed the trouble that was brewing four months ago and it banked entirely on Finance Minister T Harish Rao for campaigning as party supremo and CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and working president KT Rama Rao kept themselves away from Huzurabad as they did during Dubbaka bypoll.
However, the Chief Minister, well before the announcement of bypoll schedule, launched a massive welfare scheme — Dalit Bandhu. “The schemes launched between 2014 and 2018 helped TRS to victory in 2018 Assembly elections. The same schemes will not deliver votes for the second time,” a TRS leader said. Dalit Bandhu not click as expected by the TRS cadre.As the next Assembly elections are just two years away, it’s high time for the TRS leadership to introspect seriously, rejig the party and redraw its plans afresh.
The party’s poll strategy too did not work well in the bypoll. First, it branded Rajender a “corrupt” leader who grabbed the assigned lands. When the voters did not receive it well, the party wanted the voters to think about the LPG gas issue and vote against the BJP. However, only local factors influenced the bypoll and the voters supported Rajender.
After Bandi Sanjay took charge as BJP State president, this is the second defeat for TRS in the north Telangana, which has been pink party’s stronghold since its inception. The party suffered its first defeat in Dubbaka bypoll.As KCR has a lot of sentiment attached with Karimnagar district, he launched all his schemes from the segment, which worked well for the party in the subsequent elections. However, that sentiment failed to work this time around.
TRS has seen many highs and lows: KTR
After the Huzurabad verdict was announced, TRS working president KT Rama Rao tweeted: “In the last 20 years TRS has seen many highs and lows & this one election result will not be of much significance or consequence. My compliments to @GelluSrinuTRS on a spirited fight. Appeal to all TRS workers to work with increased resolve to forge ahead in future battles.”
We respect people’s mandate: Harish Rao
Mister T Harish Rao said that the party would respect the people’s mandate. While thanking all those who voted for TRS, he said that unlike in other parts of the country, the BJP and Congress worked together in Huzurabad bypoll. Even senior Congress leaders said the same, he said. “TRS will not be disappointed by defeat in one election. Victory or defeat, the TRS will work for the sake of the people.”
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