As the countdown to the Telangana elections enters its last week, the youngest state in India is all set to witness a triangular contest. The fight is between the ruling BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since the creation of the state in 2014, K. Chandrashekhar Rao has been ruling, and people are now watching whether he will perform a hat trick. Rao is facing a tough time as antiincumbency stares at his face.

Despite his successful leadership of the separate Telangana movement, his popularity has waned for many reasons. In the 2018 Assembly polls, TRS (as the BRS then was) won 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly. Congress followed with 19 and AIMIM with seven. At present, BRS holds a total of 99 seats by splitting other parties, while Congress has eight MLAs. The AIMIM and BJP have seven and six MLAs, respectively. KCR is a tinpot dictator and has installed his family members, including his son and daughter, in prominent positions.

His son, KT Rama Rao, is the deputy chief minister, his daughter, Kavita, is an MP, and his nephew is a minister. KCR has big plans for himself and his family. Not content with being a state-level politician, he has set his sights on national politics. KCR plans to install his son as the state’s chief minister after he wins. As a first step, he changed the party’s name from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi, indicating a shift towards a more national outlook. KCR has been attempting to form a third front, a federal front, and a ginger group over the past decade but has yet to succeed.

The newly formed opposition group, INDIA, has yet to invite KCR to join them despite their aim to challenge the BJP. KCR has previously shown support for BJP during crucial times. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), previously considered a significant political player, has weakened. Recently, Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of TDP, facing corruption charges, announced that his party would not participate in the elections. In contrast, the Congress party has regained its position and poses a severe challenge to the BRS.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s ambition of becoming the main opposition party in the state appears to have lost steam. Although it improved in the municipal elections, it has now slipped to the third position. It’s a do-or-die election with high stakes for three players. The BJP sees Telangana as a chance to establish its presence in southern politics. The results of these elections will shape the tone of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year.

Aside from having previously ruled Karnataka twice, the BJP currently has no presence in Southern India. Prime Minister Modi, aiming for a third consecutive victory in national elections, needs to secure additional seats from the south, as his party is already well-established in the north. Congress regrets dividing Andhra Pradesh in 2014 under pressure. To its horror, the move backfired as people rejected Congress, favouring regional parties – the TRS in Telangana and YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh.

KCR has announced his candidacy from two constituencies, Gajwel and Kamareddy. He made only seven changes and retained all ministers and senior MLAs to avoid a rebellion in the Party, taking a risk. Opinion polls predict that the Congress is leading in the contest, followed by BRS and BJP. The BRS may win fewer seats than last time. In contrast, Congress is predicted to win more than the others. AIMIM is expected to win the same seats as last time, while independents may only win one or two. KCR believes that his work on the ground will get him votes. He has concentrated on irrigation and agriculture as well as Information Technology.

Multinationals like Google have invested in Hyderabad even before 2014. Telengana’s G.D.P. has more than doubled. KCR has gained unexpected support from BJP, which opposes the Congress. KCR seeks the Centre’s support to deal with the CBI cases against his daughter, Kavitha. Congress is closing the gap rapidly. The PCC president, Revanth Reddy, is a go-getter. Reddy has revived the Congress in the two years since he took over. It has every chance to defeat KCR, provided it does not mix things up. Sonia Gandhi announced six populist schemes some time ago. It includes Rs 2,500 for women and Rs 15,000 for farmers.

She reminded the crowd that it was Congress which created Telangana in 2014. KCR’s success rests on his political strategy, while his opponents rely on negative sentiments about the family’s rule and corruption. In the 2014 elections, KCR capitalized on the emotional issue of a separate Telangana. In 2018, he won by championing farmer rights through the Ryatu Bandhu scheme.

However, this time, he must combat anti-incumbency, a resurgent Congress, and attempts by the Modi government to smear his daughter’s reputation. Congress will hope to grab the chance to gain power this time. In the Game of Thrones, BRS is likely to lose. When people are determined to bring about change, they will do so despite any challenges or obstacles.