Etala Rajender, wife Jamuna cast their vote
- Highest percentage of polling observed
- Women and youth vote in large number
- Fight looks as if between Eatala and CM KCR
- Silent voting making difficult for pollsters to predict
- Minor clashes witnessed between TRS and BJP
- Said to be semi-final before 2023 Assembly elections
Hyderabad: The much awaited bypoll in history of Telangana has concluded with only counting votes to take place on November 2. Except minor clashes between two rivals, TRS and BJP, all went on smoothly since 7am. 30 candidates are in the fray, but the war was between BJP and ruling party, TRS. In other words, the fight appeared t be between Eatala Rajender and CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) after the campaign was observed. Money flow and liquor distribution is seen in large quantities and voters protesting for not getting money is the highlight in the bypoll. The result will certainly impact the state politics as per political observers. BJP strongly feels that its win will make people believe it as an alternate to TRS. The Congress is in strong belief that a BJP win would lead to the fall of TRS government. For the first time after so many years, all eyes are on result of Huzurabad bypoll.
What factors favoured TRS?
TRS leaders are busy in listing out the factors that helped them on poll day. Mainly they expressed Dalit Bandhu scheme, which was announced in last minute by CM, will help them to clinch the victory. Nearly 40k Dalit vote bank is in Huzurabad and TRS party is confident that this vote bank will fetch win. Along with this Rythu Bandhu scheme, trouble shooter and Finance Minister Harish Rao’s intensive campaign, welfare schemes, 12k Muslim voters are plus points for them, felt a senior leader from Telangana Bhavan.
What are the factors in favour of BJP?
Party claims that Eatala started campaign much before ruling party announced its candidate, and he is six times winner and worked as minister for seven years. He is familiar to every voter compared to Congress and TRS candidates. Campaign by Central and State BJP leaders will favour along with anti-incumbency and sympathy factor, said a senior BJP leader from Nampally headquarters.
What our correspondent observed?
It is tough to predict Exit Poll as both parties tried their best until last minute. Noted agencies which have given BJP an edge in pre-poll surveys are in dilemma now after observing the poll trend and it became much difficult to catch the pulse of the voters. But as per our sources, out of 5 mandals, BJP is leading in Huzurabad, Jammikunta & Veenavanka while TRS is leading in Kamalapur and Illanthakunta mandals. Eatala Rajender was successful in splitting at least 15% of TRS votes in his favour in Jammikunta mandal. At the same time TRS was successful in clinching margin of vote share towards it in Huzurabad.
Reddy community, BC’s vote bank will help Rajender to counter the margin of TRS in Kamalapur mandal. But the main plus point for Eatala was women and youth voters who came in large number to vote. As per our observation, morning session of polling went on 50:50 for both parties but afternoon session favoured the BJP more than the TRS.
Factors which helped Rajender mainly are weak candidate filed by Congress and TRS also failed to come up with a strong candidate although Gellu Srinivas Yadav was young and energetic. The strategy of fielding a Yadav candidtate with a hope of grabbing the community’s vote bank appears to have failed somewhat. Sympathy, caste factor, anti-incumbency, major tilt of Congress vote bank towards BJP may help Eatala to emerge victorious with a minimal margin. Real threats to the TRS are anti-incumbency and swing-voters from the Congress to the BJP. The prophecy said that the BJP was going to win the Huzurabad by-election with a huge majority is not going to come true.
