Telangana polls: KCR enjoys advantage in three-way contest in Kamareddy

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is widely seen as a favourite in the Kamareddy Assembly constituency which is witnessing a three-day contest also involving the Congress and the BJP.

Although KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, shifted to Kamareddy only now, his BRS party's organisational prowess is seen to have an edge over the relatively weak opposition.

Telangana Congress President Revanth Reddy and BJP's K Venkata Ramana Reddy are pitted against KCR. The Assembly elections are due on November 30.

Reddy plunged into the contest after the BRS chief chose Kamareddy as a second seat because he was born in Konapur village which lies in the constituency.

This forced former Congress minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir to shift to Nizamabad Urban constituency.

But this has led to charges that Reddy is an outsider, posing a challenge to the Congress. The BJP’s Ramana Reddy is of course a local and finished third with 15,000-odd votes in 2018.

KCR family

KCR’s close extended family members still live in Kamareddy and are actively supporting him.

The "local versus outsider" has become a narrative of BJP’s Ramana Reddy, who argues that both KCR and Revanth Reddy will not be easily approachable if they win.

“But I am always available for you. Keep this in mind and take a call," he says.

The BJP candidate also promises to provide free medical and education, and set up a Raithu Kendra in the constituency if he wins.

Many Congress supporters and workers feel the party would have given a tough fight to BRS had the ticket been given to a local candidate.

"Had Shabbir been given the ticket, it would have been a tough two-way fight between BRS and Congress. Revanth Reddy has no connection with people and he is an outsider for us," travel agency owner Naveen told PTI.

Constituency issues

In most of his speeches, Reddy attacks the BRS and does not talk about development works he would do if he wins, Naveen said, adding that people were more concerned about development.

Many people hope that a KCR victory would help speed up development programmes in Kamareddy, which is strategically located in the midst of Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar, Adilabad, and Nirmal districts.

People in Kamareddy are waiting for the government to implement a few irrigation schemes that would get water to their parched fields.

Another issue affecting the farmers is the Master Plan announced for the development and expansion of the district headquarters town which they think will take away their farm lands.

However, it was shelved following protests from farmers.

The dying jaggery industry is yet another issue which many farmers and traders feel should be revived.

(With agency inputs)