Six guarantees of Congress became a game changer for the party
Telangana Election Results, Election Results LIVE, Revanth Reddy, Telangana cm: Congress is set to solidify its position in Southern India as the party maintains the lead. Even as Congress looks set for a win in Telangana, party chief Revanth Reddy said that the national party’s responsibility has increased. The poll results come as a major disappointment for BRS as it was eyeing a third term in the state. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are key political parties among 109 national and regional parties contesting the elections. As many as 2,290 candidates, including 221 women and one transgender, are in the fray.
During the election campaign, Congress promised to give these six guarantees in its manifesto, which are considered to be the main reason for its victory. These are-
Mahalakshmi: Under this women-centric welfare program, women will be given Rs 2500 per month, gas cylinders for Rs 500, and free travel in public transport.
Rythu Bharosa: This will be launched aimed at farmers and agricultural workers. Congress has also promised to provide health insurance of Rs 10 lakh.
Indiramma: There is a scheme that promises cheap houses for poor people. Through the Indiramma Indilu Scheme, families who do not have houses will be given Rs 5 lakh for a house and the construction of a house.
Grihajyoti: An electricity bill subsidy was guaranteed in this scheme. Under the Griha Jyoti Scheme, 200 units of free electricity will be given to eligible houses.
Yuva Vikasam: Children from economically backward homes are guaranteed to get money for their education. Young students will be given Rs 5 lakh under the Yuva Vikasam Scheme.
Cheyutha: ‘Cheyutha’ scheme, a health insurance and pension program, provides financial assistance of Rs 4000 per month to senior citizens, widows, disabled, beedi workers, single women, weavers, AIDS and filariasis patients as well as kidney patients undergoing dialysis.
Six reasons due to which Congress changed KCR’s game
Honoring the martyrs of Telangana also proved helpful for Congress in getting election mileage here. The election manifesto of Congress had promised that all Telangana movement fighters would be provided 250 square yards of living space. Apart from its six guarantees, these six reasons were also the biggest factors behind the spectacular victory of Congress due to which the party was successful in changing the political game of KCR who was in power in the state for 10 years.
Resorted corruption allegations against BRS
Considering the BJP as a weak rival, the Congress in Telangana kept its strategy clear that it has to focus all attention on branding the ruling BRS government as a failure. The party cornered Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) in almost every rally. Congress continuously made a series of allegations that in the last 10 years, the KCR-led government has done nothing except corruption. In every rally, Congress cited the Hyderabad Outer Ring Road Scam of Telangana, Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha Scam, Miyapur Land Case, and financial fraud in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, whose direct connection was seen in the hearts and minds of the public.
A negative vote against KCR shifted in favor of Congress
Congress took full advantage of the anti-incumbency wave around K Chandrashekhar Rao and his government. It is clear from the results so far that the party has won huge votes in villages and sub-urban areas, whereas these have been the traditional strongholds of BRS for many years.
‘Congress’ aggressive stance in social media campaign
Social media has now become the platform that has the power to make or break governments in countries. Congress used its strength very well in these elections and also paid a lot of attention to the online fight. Focusing on the anti-incumbency factor in the state, Congress ran an online campaign based on videos, memes, gifs, and posters on social media. For this, the party took the help of social media expert Sunil Kanugolu and handed him the command of its election campaign strategist in Telangana. In a news published in Indian Express some time ago, it was claimed that Sunil Kanugolu had got a free hand in Telangana to implement his strategy and operate local services, whereas this was not the case in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Sunil Kanugolu of Karnataka is one of the most popular election strategists in India. He is given the credit for the victory of the Congress Party in Karnataka in May 2023 this year. Kanugolu is the person behind the planning of Congress’s election campaign in Telangana, who led the party to victory for the second consecutive time and a huge majority in the state.
BJP-BRS accused of collusion, connected with public
On November 28, the last day of the election campaign in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi said in a rally in Hyderabad why despite running the most corrupt government, not a single case is being filed against CM KCR. The reason is that KCR is supporting BJP in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, MP along with Chhattisgarh and Goa. So that the BJP is not able to use ED, CBI, Income Tax Department against him. Giving the example of ED not taking action against KCR, Rahul Gandhi said that it is clear that all of them are a team which includes BRS, BJP, and AIMIM. Priyanka Gandhi also said in an election rally that whenever the BJP needs help, only BRS and AIMIM come forward. This is a war in which only Congress is with the people of Telangana and on the other side are BJP, BRS, and AIMIM.
Congress got minority votes this time
Muslim votes in Telangana have shifted to Congress this time, which is visible in the trends so far. Asaduddin Owaisi’s party AIMIM has suffered a loss in the state, which is seen as a gain for Congress. The reason behind this can be said to be the party’s ‘minority declaration’ which was claiming to focus on minority welfare and Muslims showed confidence in it.
BJP’s weak leadership also became the reason in Telangana
On 5 July 2023, Union Cabinet Minister G Kishan Reddy was redeployed as the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana. BJP appointed G Kishan Reddy in place of Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who served as Telangana party president from 11 March 2020 to 4 July 2023. However, this move backfired and only weakened the state unit of the BJP. This gave Congress ample opportunity to improve its position as the main opposition party in Telangana, which it exploited very well. Hence, bumper success was achieved in the election results.
