Hyderabad: Blazing sun and sweeping heatwave did not prevent candidates and party cadres from canvassing for their respective candidates, but many preferred early mornings and late evenings to reach out to voters. And on Monday people went out to vote for their favourite candidates.
Is baar 400 paar
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying “is baar 400 par” (this time, winning over 400 seats), they made it a point to make as many visits as possible to Hyderabad city and other parts of Telangana to woo the voters. Several Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh also made a beeline to Hyderabad.
Confident of winning a good number of seats in the North, Modi focused more on the South this time.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who ensured a stunning win for Congress in the last Assembly polls, has gone all out to win a maximum number of Lok Sabha seats. He was backed by Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, and others.
Revanth Reddy exuded confidence in winning at least 14 seats. BJP leaders are sure of 10-plus seats. BRS leaders including former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao went a step further saying the party will turn a king-maker since neither BJP nor Congress will get an absolute majority.
All parties exuded confidence in winning over 10 seats in Telangana. Opinion polls in social media gave maximum seats to Congress and BJP.
Costliest poll
Some party leaders claim that this parliament election is one of the costliest, where candidates spent between Rs 25 crore to Rs 150 crore though it’s difficult to prove any claims. EC’s fixed maximum expenditure by a candidate is Rs 95 lakh.
“I am confident of a big win in the Lok Sabha polls. We have fulfilled major promises made to people and others in the pipeline and held up due to elections. We will fulfill every promise made to people,” asserts Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
Confident Revanth plays football
Revanth Reddy took time off from his hectic schedule and played football with University of Hyderabad (UoH) students. Reddy is an ardent football fan.
Two days ago, CM had an interaction with the media and had dinner at a star hotel in Hyderabad.
“There is no chance for BRS. The fight is straight between Congress and BJP,” he said, adding that a big win for BJP will be dangerous for the State and country since they would communally divide the nation.
However, his rivals including party leaders say that if CM gets less than 10 seats, his days would be numbered.
Rumours were also floated that he would take away a chunk of MLAs and join the BJP like the Maharashtra episode.
There were accusations by rival parties of having tacit understanding—BJP with BRS, Congress with BRS etc.
KCR creates buzz again
Former Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, who lost power to Congress, made a belated entry but did create a buzz in the polls through public meetings, TV interviews and social media campaign deriding the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Congress and launching a scathing attack on BJP leadership, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Owaisi vs. Madhavi Latha
Among the keenly watched constituencies include Hyderabad, where sitting AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi is taking on a novice BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha.
A hardcore Hindutva and VHP leader, Latha created a buzz in the Old City with her campaign that attracted national media attention and praise from the PM.
CM’s constituencies under watch
Another constituency under watch is Mahabubnagar, in which CM’s native Kodangal assembly constituency is part and Malkajgiri, from where he was elected as MP. Revanth Reddy put his heart out in Mahabubnagar to ensure win for Congress nominee Vamsi Chand Reddy.
Lone Union Minister in fray
Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy is contesting from Secunderabad again and he is pitched against T Padma Rao of BRS and Danam Nagender of BRS turned Congress nominee. Among top BJP leaders in fray include National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar and former Minister Etala Rajender.
Another candidate to watch is former IPS officer Dr R S Praveen Kumar, who is contesting on BRS ticket from Nagar Kurnool.
There are over 3.31 crore voters and 625 candidates in fray in the polls in the State. The Election Commission has set up 35,356 polling stations. As much as Rs 320 crore cash and other articles were seized by Election Commission authorities.
