The erstwhile Warangal district spread over 12,846 sq. km. with a population of over 35 lakh has 12 Assembly constituencies, now split into five districts. Jangaon, Mahabubabad, Warangal Rural, Warangal Urban and Bhupalpally are the new districts.
The TRS, which has always counted the district as its stronghold, hopes to sweep all the 12 Assembly seats of the erstwhile Warangal district in the ensuing elections. The main fight is going to be between the TRS and the Congress in nearly all the constituencies. However, there would be multi-cornered contests with the BJP fielding candidates in all seats in addition to independents who would be splitting the votes.
While the BJP is not a major force in these parts, it has a good presence in Parkal, Bhupalpally and Wardhannapet constituencies from where it had representation in the Assembly in the past.
For instance, at Bhupalpally, BJP candidate Ch. Keerthi Reddy is likely to get considerable votes giving a tough time to her main rivals S. Madhusudhana Chary of the TRS and Gandra Venkataramana Reddy of Congress.
In the last elections, the TDP won Parkal, Congress won Dornakal and independent Donthu Madhava Reddy won the Narasampet constituencies while the TRS wrested all the rest nine Assembly seats. Parkal TDP MLA Challa Dharma Reddy, Dornakal Congress MLA D. S. Redya Naik later joined the ruling TRS party while Mr. Madhava Reddy associated himself with the Congress party.In the 2015 by-election to the Warangal parliamentary constituency, the TRS got a huge mandate.
Unkept promises
The party is again counting Warangal for its prospects. TRS leaders have already begun their door-to-door campaign explaining how their party delivered 24-hour free power, launched Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha and Rythu Bandhu schemes among others. Though the results of Mission Bhagiratha are yet to be seen, party leaders promise that they would soon enjoy the fruits of the scheme.The only hiccup the TRS party is facing as of now is anti-incumbency and dissidence within the party. In some villages, party candidates are being opposed by the public who have been asking for the deliverance of the double-bedroom scheme and drinking water which the party has promised umpteen number of times.
Meanwhile, Congress probables — since the party is yet to announce the final candidates — have already started their campaign in select constituencies. For instance, Congress candidates in Bhupalpally (Gandra Venkataramana Reddy), Jangaon (Ponnala Lakshmaiah), Palakurthy (Janga Raghava Reddy) were ahead in campaign questioning TRS’ double bedroom promise, drinking water to villages, among others.
While the long pending issues of Warangal district such as the railway coach factory may take a back seat, the old promise of a steel factory at Bayyaram in Mahabubabad district would have some affect in the campaign and polls.While there are victors and losers in the first round — getting party nominations — one interesting twist is TRS’ Konda Surekha joining the Congress.