Known as an astute political strategist, K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana chief minister, and BRS supremo, is facing one of the toughest challenges to his long political career on two fronts as two of his arch-rivals are ready to take him on. In one-on-one battle at his home turf Gajwel, and the other at Kamareddy, the second constituency from where he is contesting in this particular election.

While in Gajwel he faces BRS-turned-BJP leader Etela Rajender, who had once been his trusted aide at Kamareddy Assembly constituency, his opponent will be the state Congress chief A Revanth Reddy, long known to be his bête noire even when the latter was in TDP.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, filed his nomination papers on Thursday, first from Gajwel, and then from Kamareddy and addressed his first poll meeting at Kamareddy. He will close his campaign on 28 November with a meeting at Gajwel, evidently reserving his home constituency towards the very end, in a show of supreme confidence.

KCR wears his cloak of invincibility well. After all, in the past 40 years he has never lost an election, be it Lok Sabha or assembly, ever since he tasted defeat in his very first election in 1983. However, there are challenges at Gajwel in the form of land losers of the Mallannasagar dam and Kondapocchama canal projects who, unhappy with the paltry compensation harbour tremendous resentment.

The other tough challenge is posed by BJP candidate Etela Rajender, who belongs to the Backward Classes (BC), particularly Mudiraj, a numerically strong community. Rajender, who is seething with revenge after KCR tried his best to defeat him in Huzurabad after removing him from the Cabinet over the allegations of a land grab. Gajwel would to KCR what Singur was for Mamata. However, despite BJP’s impressive show of strength when Rajender went to file his nomination at Gajwel, the chief minister sits pretty since the area has seen considerable development in the form of good infrastructure, roads, and education facilities. Moreover, Singur was not Mamata Banerjee’s home constituency while KCR’s nephew Finance Minister T Harish Rao nurtured Gajwel well.

“Let DKs (Shivakumar) and PKs (Pawan Kalyan) come, they cannot do anything to our AK-47, KCR,” said Harish Rao.

While his rivals say KCR chose to contest from Kamareddy under Zaheerabad Lok Sabha seat because he is not confident of retaining Gajwel, BRS sources attribute the decision to choose the second seat that borders Nizamabad Parliamentary seat to strategic consideration. His daughter, Kalvakuntla Kavitha was the sitting MP from Nizamabad before losing it to the BJP in 2019, causing a massive loss of face both for KCR and the BRS. With the parliamentary elections next year, this would help the BRS mobilise its cadre as well as strengthen its support base.

“As the tallest leader of Telangana, KCR can win from his constituency,” said a BRS leader. In Kamareddy, Rao comes across as a doting father, preparing the ground for his daughter who has been targeted by the BJP over the Delhi liquor scam.