Telangana Elections 2023: KCR fighting from a second seat suggests all is not well in Gajwel

Telangana elections 2023:

Is Telangana chief minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) facing headwinds in his home turf Gajwel, an assembly constituency which he has turned into an invincible fortress over the years by virtue of being the state’s CM.

This question arises after KCR’s decision to field himself in Kamareddy along with Gajwel. KCR has held Gajwel for two terms since 2014 and is aiming for a third term now.

Though it is not the first time KCR is contesting from two constituencies, his choice apparently brings to the spotlight faultlines in his popularity in Gajwel. In 2004 and 2014, he contested from one Lok Sabha and one assembly seat each in what were simultaneous elections in the state. But the current decision is interesting because in 2018, he had contested from only Gajwel.

The entry of BJP’s Etela Rajendar, his disciple-turned-bitter rival, in the Gajwel election fray, has apparently heightened KCR’s worries, forcing him to sweat it out to do the hat-trick.

Gajwel Benefits From KCR’s Largesse

As Chief Minister and its local MLA for a decade, KCR has managed to change the face of Gajwel. It has witnessed rapid development, especially in realty and education, becoming a hub of institutes with offerings from KG to PG – if one can use that phrase.

Large swathes of farm land have also received irrigation facilities because of their proximity to KCR’s farmhouse at Yerravalli. The 200-acre farmhouse receives bountiful supply of the Godavari river waters through the Kondapochamma reservoir.

As Gajwel is located close to Hyderabad, the state capital, there is potential for economic development and growth through increased connectivity and infrastructure development. The outer ring road (ORR) that goes around Gajwel, connecting Hyderabad and the suburbs, has spurred the pace of development of the constituency further.

The KCR government has planned to rope in Amul, a dairy major, to set up a plant at Wargal in the constituency with an investment of Rs 500 crore. This plant is expected to give a fillip to dairy farming in and around Gajwel.

Much Discontent Too

In spite of the KCR government showcasing Gajwel as a development model for the whole of Telangana, anti-incumbency keeps haunting the BRS leader. Vociferous protests by those ousted for the Mallanna Sagar Irrigation project spread over 20 villages for a rehabilitation package and demands by the poor in the constituency for realisation of the ruling party’s election promise of 2-BHK houses stares KCR in the face. Though the official machinery has received over 25,000 applications from “eligible” families, only 3,000 of them have reportedly received houses in the last 10 years.

The local folk, not content with the development claims, are craving for easy access to their VVIP, instead. Thus, a narrative juxtaposing development with access-to-the leader has come into play.

KCR has earned sharp criticism from his rivals as a leader who has confined his rule to “ghadis” (palaces of Patels during Nizam times) with no access to the common public. Lending credence to such an allegation, the farmhouse in which KCR reportedly spends most of his time, has been protected with barbed wire fencing of two rows. There is also round-the-clock watch from the watchtower on the premises for the security of the Chief Minister. Therefore, the farmhouse provides no access for the locals of the constituency to be heard by their leader.

Enter Etela Rajendar

Etela Rajendar, who was unceremoniously sent packing from the KCR’s party, is waiting for a revenge strike against his mentor-turned-foe, and the opportunity has now come as the BJP candidate in Gajwel. The humiliation meted out to Etela, who was a senior leader of the TRS, has deeply hurt the pride of the Mudiraj community, one of the numerically strong and vocal OBC groups.

The community that makes up around 25 percent of the OBC grouping, can seemingly make or mar KCR’s winning prospects. Jamuna Reddy, Etela’s wife, is from the Reddy community and she calls the shots in the resource-rich politically dominant Reddy community in the area, adding to Etela’s advantage.

The Congress is still struggling to find a potential candidate against KCR after its unsuccessful candidate in the previous election Vanteru Pratap Reddy, was wooed into the ruling TRS (now BRS). If the

Congress comes up with a weak candidate, it might lead to a straight contest between KCR and Etela, giving an advantage for the latter as the sole claimant of anti-incumbency votes.

Can Etela do a Suvendu Adhikari by trouncing KCR? Like Etela to whom KCR was a mentor, Adhikari was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s protege but he succeeded in defeating her in Nandigram in 2021. Another parallel is how both Etela and Adhikari found a home in the BJP after exiting their parent outfits.

But that’s where the similarity ends. Nandigram was Adhikari’s bastion where Mamata ventured leaving behind her longtime constituency, Bhabanipur. Gajwel is KCR’s stronghold and contesting from a safe second seat is poor optics.

A cracker of a contest is in the offing at Gajwel, and much could change in the next four weeks of campaigning.

Gali Nagaraja is a senior journalist, formerly associated with The Hindu, The Times of India, and Hindustan Times for over three decades. Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of this publication.