HYDERABAD: With assembly elections due in Telangana in November, he is hoping for first-mover advantage by announcing most of the names a couple of months in advance.
While retaining a majority of sitting MLAs, KCR replaced only nine of them with new faces, including one of two seats being contested by him, as he aims for a hat-trick of wins in the upcoming elections.
KCR will contest from two seats - Gajwel, which he represents in the present assembly, and Kamareddy. He exuded confidence that BRS would win 95 to 105 seats.
He, however, held back announcing the names for four constituencies. "The party has not taken any decision on Jangaon, Nampally, Goshamahal and Narsapur. Candidates for these four seats will be announced soon," KCR said while releasing the candidates' list at the auspicious 'muhurat' of 2.38 pm at Telangana Bhavan.
It was an encore performance by KCR as he did what he had done before the 2018 assembly elections in taking his opponents by surprise by advancing the polls and announcing the candidates' list three months before the elections.
In Station Ghanpur, Khanapur, Boath, Vemulawada, Wyra, Asifabad, Korutla, Uppal, and Kamareddy (being contested by KCR) constituencies, there are new candidates. Reasons like allegations against the sitting MLAs, poor performance and MLAs' requests for tickets for their family members, etc., were cited for the changes.
With KCR announcing candidates for almost all the seats, it appears that BRS will go it alone and not have an alliance with the Left parties.
Window open for those out of fray, says CMCPI, CPM and BRS had moved closer during last year's Munugode bypoll and had hinted at striking a seat deal for the coming elections. The BRS supremo, however, said his party's friendship with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM would continue. In the past, BRS has not put up strong candidates in seven seats in the Old City, which is AIMIM's stronghold. In return, AIMIM has helped BRS get Muslim votes in other seats.
KCR, who quit nine months before completing his term in 2018 and went on to win a handsome 88 seats, believes he can do it again this time with his pro-poor welfare schemes and farmer initiatives. In the last elections, he named 105 candidates in one go; this time, he added 10 more candidates to the first list.
Political analysts said by announcing the candidates months before election schedule, BRS leadership wants to kill two birds with one stone: first, it gives candidates ample time to campaign and reach out to as many people as they can; and second, it allows to douse rebels' fire quickly and work unitedly. KCR said any leader or worker crossing the party's "Lakshman rekha" would be dealt with seriously. He said a three-member committee has been formed to look into "problems" arising out of naming new candidates in one or two segments.
KCR said: "Those who were not given the chance will get other opportunities as MLC, RS MP or ZP chairperson posts, etc. Former assembly speaker and MLC S Madhusudhana Chary has agreed to extend cooperation to Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy in Bhupalpally. Former minister P Mahender Reddy has agreed to help Pilot Rohith Reddy in Tandur. This is the way forward," he said. He claimed Karnataka results would have no impact on Telangana. "Congress made promises which were undoable to come to power, and now Bengaluru is facing power cuts. They could not keep some promises made during elections," CM said.
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