Telangana battle: BJP pulls out all stops for Munugode bypoll

While the election campaign is being steered in the state, hinged on issues such as corruption and poor delivery of schemes, there is a possibility of central leaders being deputed for the bypoll canvassing as well, according to functionaries aware of the details.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pulling out all the stops to win the November 3 by-poll for Munugode assembly seat in Telangana as it sees the election as a precursor to the 2023 assembly polls in the state, people familiar with the matter said.

Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy is contesting on the BJP ticket. (AFP file photo)

While the election campaign is being steered in the state, hinged on issues such as corruption and poor delivery of schemes, there is a possibility of central leaders being deputed for the bypoll canvassing as well, according to functionaries aware of the details.

The party has launched an aggressive outreach in the state against the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government, accusing it of corruption and failing to meet promises, and has effectively positioned itself as the principal opposition. It is also buoyed by popular leaders from across castes joining the BJP, which leaders said is an indication that the saffron outfit has emerged as “the alternative to both the Congress and the TRS.”

In recent months, leaders such as Etala Rajender, a former minister in the TRS government; former All India Congress Committee spokesperson Dasoju Sravan; and former TRS MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, among others, were welcomed into the party fold.

“The BJP has an advantage in this particular seat (Munugode) as there is immense anti-incumbency against the TRS. The Congress is dissipated and (MLA) K. Rajagopal Reddy’s resignation from the party reinforces what we have been saying,” a state BJP functionary said. The BJP in its campaign is not holding back from attacking the TRS and chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, and has been playing up the instance of the party distributing meat, liquor and cash in the constituency to woo voters.

“There is no popular support for the KCR family or the party. They are only banking on corruption to woo voters. The BJP on the other hand has a development model, unlike the state government that made several promises, including houses for the scheduled castes and did not deliver,” the functionary said, requesting anonymity. “This time, the freebies will not work.”

The party, which won in only one of the 119 seats in the 2018 assembly polls, but won the 2021 bypolls in Dubbak and Huzurabad, claims it is getting support from castes that are key to winning the election.

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“The party now has the support of the Kapus, Gouds and the Yadavs. Tribal communities that have benefitted from the central schemes are now with us. The percentage of backwards castes is about 40-50% in all constituencies, who are also with the BJP,” a second functionary said, also declining to be named.

“Barring a few places such as Khammam and Nalagonda, the BJP is now a challenger to the TRS.” Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy is contesting on the BJP ticket.