In poll mode, K Chandrasekhar Rao to hit the ground running

HYDERABAD: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao will embark on a 120-day state-wide tour from July to ensure the party's third consecutive victory in assembly elections likely to be held later this year.
KCR will cover 119 assembly constituencies by addressing rallies, public meetings, inaugurating various development works and interacting with party leaders between July and October. The CM is believed to have decided to cover all the segments personally as he doesn't want to take the challenge posed by Congress and BJP lightly, sources said.
Though the CM is confident of winning the elections, he doesn't want to cede the advantage to a buoyant Congress after Karnataka win, the sources added.
During 2018 assembly elections, KCR, who was riding high on welfare schemes and other programmes, had launched his campaign two months prior to polling. The election schedule was announced on October 6 and polling was held on December 7 after the cabinet dissolved the assembly on September 6.
The CM has already set a deadline for officials to wrap up all welfare schemes such as distribution of pattas, sheep distribution, 2BHK house allotment, GO 59 regularisation and distribution of house pattas before October.
Sources in BRS said the campaign will be kicked off by CM with launch of 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme in July. Under the scheme, the government will provide Rs 3 lakh to each family to construct 2BHK house on their own plots. "This is going to be a major poll plank for BRS ahead of the election," a source said.
The CM is also planning to launch second phase of Dalit Bandhu from one constituency in July. "One of the schemes will be rolled out from north Telangana (for instance Karimnagar) and another will be launched from south Telangana (Mahabubnagar or Nalgonda)," a BRS source said. Senior leaders said KCR will either tour all constituencies or club 2-3 segments and address a meet.
"CM covered all districts except one or two by inaugurating new collectorates and taking part in developmental work last year. Now, he is planning to cover all segments in four months as after poll notification, he may not get time to cover all of them," a MP said. Party is expecting the Election Commission to release poll schedule in October and hold elections by November-end or December first week.