Although Congress has emerged as the main adversary to the ruling BRS, the BJP is in direct contest with the BRS in certain seats in northern Telangana, Hyderabad and adjoining areas while in others it has turned the contest into a triangular fight, eating into the anti-incumbency votes.
Upping its ante, the Saffron party is lining up its national-level leaders for campaigning in the state in the last leg before the state goes to polls.
While the Congress is weak in northern Telangana, Hyderabad and adjoining areas, the BJP is posing a challenge to the BRS in quite a few constituencies, particularly those bordering Maharashtra, such as Boath, Adilabad and Nirmal.
In Nirmal, BRS minister A Indrakaran Reddy is facing a challenge from A Maheshwar Reddy who was earlier with the Congress but is now contesting on a BJP ticket. In Korutla which comes under Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat BJP has fielded its local MP Arvind Dharmapuri against the BRS candidate Dr Sanjay Kalvakuntla who replaced his father, K Vidyasagar Rao. Similarly, in Karimnagar BJP fielded its local MP Bandi Sanjay to take on the powerful BRS minister Gangula Kamalakar and with both candidates hailing from Munnuru Kapu community it is turning into a high profile contest.
In his home turf Gajwel, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is facing a challenge from his friend-turned-foe Etela Rajender of the BJP. In Huzurabad where Rajender is the sitting MLA, it is also a battle primarily between the BRS and BJP.
Similarly, in Goshamal where BJP’s controversial Hindutva leader T Raja Singh is contesting once again it is a face-off primarily between the BRS and BJP.
In certain constituencies, the presence of a strong BJP candidate has rendered the contest triangular, thereby raining on Congress’ parade, unless there is consolidation of anti incumbency votes. For instance in Kamareddy where there is a face-off between chief minister KCR and PCC president A Revanth Reddy, the presence of a local Katipelly Venkataramana Reddy as BJP candidate has made the contest interesting.
Similarly, in Maheshwaram in the Ranga Reddy district, the BJP leadership is quite hopeful that A Sriramalu Yadav will draw a significant number of votes against BRS minister Sabitha Indra Reddy. Yadav’s presence has made the contest between Reddy and Congress candidate K Laxma Reddy a triangular one. At Sanathnagar in Hyderabad city BRS strongman Talasani Srinivas Yadav is facing Congress first time candidate Kota Neelima. But the presence of Marri Sashidhar Reddy, a former Congressman as the BJP candidate will pose a problem for the Congress.
Moreover, the BJP is bringing in its big guns, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will attend six rallies as well as a roadshow in Hyderabad. Besides, Home Minister Amit Shah BJP has brought in Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman for campaigning. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also campaign in the coming days.