A 46-year-old farmer told News18 during the 2018 assembly elections, “KCR (chief minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao) has been directly transferring cash into our bank accounts. The farmers are benefitting from the Rythu Bandhu scheme. Elderly people are getting monthly pensions. Whether it is marriage or delivery, he is giving money. KCR knows very well about our needs. We will vote for KCR. The Congress made an alliance with the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Telangana is a wealthy state with a lot of money whereas the people of Andhra Pradesh don’t have money. If the Congress wins the elections, Chandrababu will take the money of Telangana to Andhra Pradesh.”
Five years later, it’s time for elections again. “This time we have decided to vote for the Congress and whoever is ruling should give money to the people as they are giving from the state exchequer, which was filled with the money that we paid in the form of taxes, not from their pockets. From a ward member to an MLA, they have all been showing their attitude and they should realise their mistakes after we teach a befitting lesson in the upcoming election,” the same farmer said.
This indicates a change in the view of the farmers in the state within five years and also reflects the anti-incumbency sentiments among the people against the twice-elected BRS and its leaders. The BRS, which came to power in 2014 after the formation of Telangana, has been drawing voters through various development programmes and welfare schemes.
The BRS (previously Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS) has moved forward with ventures like the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, programmes such as Mission Bhagiratha (meant to provide drinking water to every household in the state), and Mission Kakatiya (meant to rejuvenate water bodies like tanks) as well as populist schemes, which transfer money into the bank accounts of beneficiaries directly, like pensions to the needy, Kalyana Lakshmi, and Shaadi Mubarak. People once again started turning towards agriculture after the KCR-led government started providing round-the-clock electricity supply for agricultural needs and launched the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which provides Rs 8,000 per acre to farmers, after the completion of a four-year rule. The BRS government has also succeeded in attracting people from Andhra Pradesh, who have settled in Telangana, after instilling confidence among them about their safety in the newly born state. The government also increased the number of districts in the state from 10 to 33.
The villages and towns are also moving on a development path on par with the cities, say officials, after the introduction of programmes such as the Sheep Distribution Scheme in the rural areas. This has resulted in an increase in the price of land across the state and the quality of life of the people improved in major cities such as Hyderabad. Impressed with the government policies, the farmers and commoners in the state once again handed power to the then TRS in 2018 by sending as many as 88 of its candidates to the assembly with a thumping majority.
“In 2018, the feel-good factor worked in favour of the TRS and people were impressed by the daring decisions and visionary rule of KCR. It was not an ordinary occurrence when the people re-elected the ruling party with 88 seats. The ruling dispensation proved its calibre by developing the state on all fronts within five years after the formation of Telangana. KCR was able to lead most of the incumbent MLAs, who got tickets, to victory. But this time it is not a cakewalk for the ruling party,” said Dr Pesara Venu Gopal Reddy, noted political analyst and senior journalist.
After coming to power for a second time, the then TRS modified the already introduced schemes to provide more financial benefits to the people. The IT sector developed rapidly. Transport infrastructure such as the Metro and flyovers proved to be a boon for the people. They seemed prepared to put up with the partial implementation of the 2BHK scheme, and the non-implementation of schemes such as three acres of land for each Dalit household and monthly unemployment allowance for the youth. Many feel that KCR has been doing well on all fronts. But a lot of people are also angry with their local leaders. This has been reflected in the recent poll campaign where people have been registering their protests in front of ruling party leaders and candidates.
The government introduced the Dalit Bandhu Scheme to provide Rs 10 lakh to each beneficiary and handed over the responsibility of selecting the beneficiaries to the BRS MLAs. Many legislators allegedly took commissions ranging from 20 to 30 per cent from each beneficiary. Chief minister KCR himself warned the MLAs during a session of the state assembly. There were allegations that the MLAs gave priority to their henchmen in the Nethannaku Cheyutha scheme, which provides Rs 1 lakh financial assistance to each handloom worker, and collected commissions from the beneficiaries.
Observers say the BRS MLAs have been throwing their weight around and behaving as if they are the chief ministers of their respective constituencies, and no work will be completed in the constituencies without their nod. The appointments in all departments including police, panchayat, irrigation, revenue, stamps, and registration in a constituency will take place according to the wishes of the respective MLA. A sub-inspector will be transferred if he/she brings a letter from the MLA. An official was appointed as ACP under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) as part of general transfers recently, where the local MLA didn’t like it and he warned the official concerned not to join the duties without his permission. The MLA arranged the same posting for another official belonging to his community after two months. Till then the post remained vacant. Higher officials have been mute spectators, say observers.
An official rule has been implemented in the state that even the district-level postings should take place according to the district in-charge ministers. Cases have been registered against the leaders from other parties apart from ruling party ground-level leaders and activists who defy the diktat of the local MLAs and district in-charge ministers.
“Priority will be given to our party leaders only. I will personally supervise the demolition of illegal constructions of other party leaders the moment I am elected to power,” said Danam Nagender, Khairatabad MLA, during his recent poll campaign, which went viral on social media.
There have been allegations that some BRS MLAs have also been involved in illegal mining, illegal sand transportation, and taking commissions in development works. “Once upon a time, he roamed on a scooter. Now the same leader looted public money and acquired 100 acres of farmland and a Benz Car,” a voter said, while pointing towards a leader appointed to a nominated post.
“Drastic changes took place from 2018. In general, the ruling party leaders will amass property and the same thing happened before 2018 also. But the people’s opposition against the leaders has made them come out in public. This will definitely have an impact on the poll prospects of the ruling party candidates,” said Venu Gopal Reddy.
As many as 38 per cent of the people picked KCR as their choice of chief minister in the recent Mood of Telangana survey, 29 per cent picked Congress’s Revanth Reddy, eight per cent backed BJP’s Kishan Reddy, three per cent chose BSP’s RS Praveen Kumar, and six per cent said they had no idea. But as many as 37 per cent people refused to re-elect their incumbent MLAs, while 30 per cent agreed, and 23 per cent were non-committal during the survey.
“Based on the survey, many people categorically said that they are not going to re-elect the sitting MLAs and that means they are not willing to give the seat of power to KCR once again. This time the Telangana election will be a tug of war between the Congress and the BRS. Winning the election will be a Herculean task for both parties. There is almost a month’s time for polling, let us see what happens,” said PV Srinivas, a Hyderabad-based senior journalist and analyst.
However, Venu Gopal Reddy said KCR has been trying to make amends after learning about the disaffection of the people towards the incumbent MLAs.
“The government schemes formulated with an intention to benefit the people and being the architect of the schemes, KCR is getting positive vibes from the people quite naturally. However, the MLAs have to feel the responsibility of the proper implementation of the schemes at the ground level and they will face the heat if any irregularities take place. The BRS announced its candidates two months ago and the BJP and the Congress have yet to finalise their nominees. So the BRS MLAs and candidates have plenty of time to convert the negativity against them into positivity. KCR has called upon his party cadre to take everyone into confidence, at each and every occasion,” Reddy said.
Sensing trouble because of the people’s anger against several candidates, the BRS high command has appointed constituency-based incharges. Special responsibilities have been given to key party leaders like KT Rama Rao and Harish Rao. KCR, who highlighted state government-sponsored development and welfare programmes during the first phase of campaigning, changed his strategy during the second phase. He has been urging the people to vote for the BRS by treating him as the candidate for all the 119 constituencies in the state. It remains to be seen if the strategy will work for the BRS.
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