India’s youngest state, Telangana, which came into being as recently as in June 2014, is set to witness a no-holds-barred, high-decibel, bruising electoral battle in the months ahead. The signs are there for all to see; the apprehension is that communal and regional fault lines will be out in the open, disturbing the delicate social fabric of a volatile state. Though Assembly elections in Telangana are not due till late 2023, the battle lines have already been drawn, with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling party at the Centre, launching an all-out attack on the State’s ruling party, the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti, led by K Chandrashekhar Rao. The build-up has been apparent as the TRS, which was decidedly pro-BJP earlier, has changed its tune in the last few months and turned virulently against the BJP. KCR’s proactive moves to forge an anti-BJP, anti-Congress Opposition front may have met with little success so far but his aim is to reiterate to his electorate that he is the primary architect of statehood for Telangana.
For the BJP, which has managed little electoral success in the southern states, barring Karnataka, the conquest of Telangana is a key component of its mission to spread its wings south of the Vindhyas and alter the perception that it is basically a north Indian party. The BJP’s decision to hold its national executive meeting in Hyderabad this month is a pointer to its belief that it can make significant electoral forays in the State ruled by the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad. That the public rally held by the party on the concluding day of the meet drew huge crowds only buttresses this confidence. By raking up its pet themes of the dangers of dynastic rule and appeasement politics, the BJP no doubt struck a chord with the public, but it needs to be wary in order to avoid a repeat of West Bengal where, despite a perception that it would make significant gains electorally, it was roundly defeated by Mamata Banerjee’s ruling Trinamool Congress. The BJP has a significant following in Telangana, as was apparent during the municipal polls last year where, despite a resounding victory by the TRS, the BJP came second, pushing out the Congress and other parties. However, the TRS’s sway over the state is unchallenged, especially given the numerous welfare schemes launched by KCR. That the statehood movement gained momentum in the 21st century largely due to the initiative of KCR remains undisputed among his legion of followers. Therefore, the barbs about dynasty and privilege may fall on deaf ears or prove costly for the BJP electorally. In the midst of this battle between the BJP and TRS, the Congress, which actually facilitated the birth of Telangana by pushing through the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Bill in Parliament, just before its tenure at the Centre ended, has ironically fallen by the wayside. From being a force to reckon with in the region it is now an inconsequential player, reflective of its plight all over the country barring a few pockets of influence. The Congress has only itself to blame for its plunge into anonymity, given its refusal to tackle infighting or give regional players their due. The display of arrogance and entitlement by the Congress, that hurt local sentiments and led to the rise of NT Rama Rao, Chandrababu Naidu and later YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has resulted in its near decimation in election after election in Andhra-Telangana. Any revival of the party in its erstwhile stronghold seems unlikely and it is compounded by KCR’s open antagonism towards the Congress.
In the days and months ahead, Telangana is poised to witness a raucous electoral battle where the two key contenders will go head to head given their enormous financial resources and their tremendous reach. There are bound to be ugly confrontations and airing of dirty linen in public. Communal vitriol will no doubt rear its ugly head. It is to be hoped that all parties dial down the rhetoric given the tense atmosphere in the country, especially in the wake of the Udaipur incident. Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, which is affiliated to the TRS, needs to avoid any confrontation with saffron sympathisers so that the situation does not go out of control. National interest must be held supreme and all parties must conduct their electoral campaigns within the bounds of decency and civility. That the Election Commission has an important role to play in ensuring the proper conduct of elections cannot be overstated. It must live up to its stature as an independent body that conducts free and fair polls without fear or favour. After all electoral success at the cost of public order or communal harmony is not worth savouring.
