Lok Sabha polls likey to be cakewalk for TRS

HYDERABAD: The voting pattern in the Assembly elections, coupled with the recent political developments in the State, including the possibility of main Opposition party Congress unable to field strong candidates, indicates to a virtual cakewalk for the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)  in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

In the Assembly polls held in December last year, the TRS received 46.9 per cent votes against a mere 28.4 per cent that Congress had polled. Though, the BJP emerged as third largest party in the State, it got only seven per cent votes and has just one Assembly seat to its credit. Thus, the fight in Lok Sabha elections will be between the national party Congress and the regional party TRS.

The pink party, however, is expected to have an easy outing as it has a clear edge in 14 Lok Sabha seats over Congress. Though it should be mentioned that it will be a neck and neck contest between the TRS and the Congress in Mahabubabad and Khammam Lok Sabha seats. The TRS ally AIMIM, meanwhile, is expected to easily secure the Hyderabad seat again.

In the Assembly polls, the Opposition party candidates failed to win even a single seat in Nizamabad, Secunderabad, Mahbubnagar and Karimnagar while the TRS won seven out of seven segments with a thumping majority. The Opposition candidates won only one Assembly seat out of seven seats in Adilabad, Peddpalli, Warangal, Zaheerabad, Medak, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda and Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seats and they won two Assembly segments in Bhongir, Chevella and Mahabubabad Lok Sabha seats.

Neck and neck in Khammam

However, the situation in Khammam Lok Sabha seat is different. The TRS won only Khammam Assembly seat, leaving three seats to Congress, two for the TDP and another seat to an Independent. The TRS is in minus in Khammam LS seat by more than 38,000 votes. However, the Independent MLA from Wyra L Ramulu recently joined the TRS. With this, the fight for Lok Sabha will be neck and and neck between the Congress and the TRS.

The TRS leadership is confident of winning all the 16 Lok Sabha seats.“Immediately after assuming office for the second consecutive time, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao has started implementing the poll promises. He made sufficient budgetary allocations for implementing promises. He carved out two new districts of Narayanpet and Mulugu. This will definitely help TRS get more votes. The TRS may get 50 per cent of the total votes polled in Lok Sabha elections,” a senior TRS leader opined.