Political circles are abuzz with discussion on how TRS is damaging its chances in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana by repeatedly referring to Seemandhras as “settlers”, “Andhrollu” and “Seemandhrulu” in their election speeches.

People of AP-origin in Hyderabad voted for TRS unanimously in the GHMC elections in 2016 after KCR and KTR in their campaign speeches repeatedly said that there were no “Seemandhrulu” or ‘settlers’ in Hyderabad and TRS will treat all those living in Hyderabad as ‘Hyderabadis’ and “Telanganites.”

This created confidence among the Seemandhra people who voted for TRS by ignoring TDP, which was branded as “Andhra party” by the TRS. However, of late, KCR and KTR in their election speeches are repeatedly talking about ‘settlers’, ‘Seemandhrulu’ etc, due to which an impression has been created that TRS has been treating them as outsiders.

The repeated verbal attacks of KCR and KTR on Chandrababu Naidu by referring to “Andhra” term has been creating discontent among Seemandhra population.KCR’s comments referring to the Mahakutami as “Thu…Mee Bathukulu Cheda” have damaged the image of TRS more than that of TDP or Chandrababu.

While KCR’s comments have started damaging the TRS prospects by distancing Seemandhra population from TRS, KTR’s comments further escalated the situation. 43-year old KTR, who is just 43-year old and relatively a junior in politics threatening the 68-year old senior leader Chandrababu that he will see his end by entering AP politics did not go down well with Seemandhra population in Hyderabad.

KTR’s latest comments that TRS will enter AP politics and see the end of Chandrababu Naidu has further created a negative impact among Seemandhra population, who feel that they would have no objection to TRS leaders attacking TDP or Chandrababu politically but referring to the use of the “Andhra” term repeatedly has been creating a feeling of insecurity, insult and humiliation and giving an impression that they were ‘outsiders’ in Hyderabad.

Bharatiya Janata Party does not have many stakes in the ongoing elections in Telangana. Let alone having the chances of coming to power in the state, it can hardly expect half a dozen seats, if not less.

Yet, the party is not taking it easy. For the last few weeks, it has been bringing in several stalwarts from New Delhi and also other parts of the country to campaign for the candidates in the elections.

Right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to BJP national president Amit Shah to even Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath are being flown to different parts of Telangana for the campaign.

Starting with September 16 rally at Mahbubnagar, Amit Shah came to Telangana several times, attacking the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Congress party. He is still touring different parts of Telangana.

Modi addressed two rallies on November 27 and will be addressing a massive public meeting at L B Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.

Yogi Adityanath addressed a couple of public meetings at Sangareddy and Medchal, besides road shows in Hyderabad.

He will return on December 5 for a second round of campaign in Karimnagar and Warangal.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Purushottam Rupala and Jual Oram are also campaigning extensively in Telangana.

The BJP leadership knows very well that it cannot win many seats, leave along forming the government in Telangana.

Yet, the party chose to take the elections seriously as it wants to strengthen its base in the state and grow gradually.

It wants to propagate the Hindutva in a big way and turn the youth and educated people towards the saffron party.

Since Telangana has a huge percentage of Muslim population, the BJP sees there is a good chance of polarizing Hindu votes. That is precisely why the BJP top leaders are focusing on attacking MIM and questioning the appeasement politics of the TRS and Congress.

“If not now, the BJP will emerge as a major force to reckon with in the next 10 years,” Shah is learnt to have told the party cadre in Telangana.

With an anti-establishment talk doing rounds in the political and media circles, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is working out a plan to emerge at least the single largest party in the next week’s assembly elections in the state.

According to sources close to the TRS leadership, the party will not claim for power, if it gets less than 50 seats.

“But even if its 50 or 51, the party will go all out to grab power in the state, even if it required the support of both the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Bharatiya Janata Party,” a source said.

However, MIM will back out in the event of BJP offering support and vice versa. But then, too, the TRS is getting its plan “B” ready to prevent Maha Kootami from coming to power. That is luring independents with money and cabinet posts.

“If necessary, the TRS leadership will not hesitate to poach some Maha Kootami MLAs as well to form the government,” he said.

For instance, if TRS gets 50 seats, it will join hands with the MIM which is likely to retain its seven MLAs.

“So, it requires just three more MLAs to retain power. If three independents win the seats, it will be easy to poach them. Otherwise, it will indulge in horse-trading of the Maha Kootami MLAs who are vulnerable,” the source said.

BJP leader G Kishan Reddy also suspects the same. There won’t be any surprise if contestants of Maha Kootami joined the TRS after they won the upcoming elections.

“It has already happened once in 2014. Those who couldn’t prevent them from joining TRS earlier are now exaggerating their capacity and promising moon for the people,” he alleged.

Hyderabad: “India is my father’s country. Nobody can force me flee,” was how MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday reacted to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s comment that if BJP comes to power in the Telangana, Owaisi will have to flee.

“It is my religious belief that Prophet Adam when he descended on the Earth from Paradise, he came to India. Thus India is my father’s country and nobody can force me flee,” the Hyderabad MP told an election rally of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) on Sunday night.

Speaking at an election rally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day at Tandur, Adityanath had said that if his party comes to power in Telangana, Owaisi will flee the way Nizam had to flee Hyderabad.

Owaisi said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was ignorant of the history as Nizam did not flee Hyderabad.

“Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan did not flee Hyderabad. He was made ‘Raj Pramukh’ and when there was war with China, he offered his gold to India,” said Owaisi.

The MP said he would not be scared by such threats and propaganda. “This is only Yogi’s speech but the language and mentality is of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

Owaisi said Yogi should speak like a Chief Minister and uphold the dignity of the office he is holding.

He suggested that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister should first take care of his constituency where 150 children die of encephalitis every year.

Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi’s younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi has also reacted strongly to Adityanath’s threat, saying nobody can force them flee.

“We are not the one who will flee. Our 1,000 generations will live here,” the MIM leader said at a public meeting.