The discussion among the people of Gajwel, one of the two constituencies from where Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is contesting, is about the winning margin of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) supremo, not who will win. The consensus is, it will be a lower margin. Facing KCR in Gajwel is his bete noire Etela Rajender, contesting on the BJP ticket. A senior leader and minister, Rajender had moved from the BRS to the BJP after he was dropped by KCR from his Cabinet in May 2021, and is now its sitting MLA from Huzurabad. Ever since he quit the BRS, Rajender has been itching for an electoral fight against KCR, often taunting that he will defeat the CM. The Congress, a re-energized group now, has fielded a known local leader and former Gajwel MLA, Tumkunta Narsa Reddy. The constituency, which elected KCR in 2014 and 2018, holds the CM in high regard. KCR is credited with developing Gajwel into a model constituency, with excellent inner roads, an Outer Ring Road, a 100-bed super-specialty women and children hospital, drinking water supply through taps to every household, water for irrigation from the Kaleshwaram Project, and an integrated education hub. Only a few maize and cotton fields remain in the midst of the modern-looking town. On the strength of these development projects, KCR was able to drastically increase his winning margin in the 2018 Assembly elections, winning 60.45% of the total votes, compared to 44.06% in 2014. The CM and BRS chief retains his popularity, with people dismissing any suggestion that KCR is contesting from two places fearing defeat. “KCR contests from two constituencies because he is very confident of winning anywhere he stands from. Winning margin will come down, though,” says N Kishore, a construction supervisor, at Pragnapur. “After two terms from here, with KCR also contesting from Kamareddy, there may be anti-incumbency votes. Winning margins may vary,'' says Venkatesh Reddy, a farmer at Venkatapur. While KCR remains popular with them, some residents of Gajwel, in Toopran and Wargal, wish the CM visited them more often. “We can understand that he is the CM and remains very busy, but sometimes he should come and say hello to us,'' says B Charan, a B.Com graduate who says he is “trying out farming”, adding that “life in Gajwel is good”. At a recent public meeting, KCR indicated he was conscious of this sentiment, assuring the people that he would “spend a day every month in the constituency and solve all your problems”. Off the Rajiv Rahadari State Highway 1, a four-lane Outer Ring Road leads into Gajwel town, which has wide roads and is well-maintained by the Gajwel-Pragnapur Municipality. It is one of the first districts to have an Integrated Office Complex, housing all government offices at one place, including the district collectorate and SP's office. While the education hub has men's and women's degree colleges, girls' hostel, Telangana State Model School and Z P High School, a welfare hostel, and an auditorium. About Rajender, locals say the BJP began its campaign well at the beginning of November, but this has slowly waned. “Etela Rajender drops in frequently, but the BJP's campaign is not that visible,” says Venkatesh Reddy, a private school teacher. However, he is looking forward to KCR's first and only public meeting here on November 28. “It will be clearer then whether he will win with a good majority or not. It is not over yet, so let's see.” A group of teachers having tea at an outlet on Gajwel town's busy main road say Rajender has at least sparked a lot of interest for daring to take on the CM. “He seems very confident, I have seen him campaigning twice here,'' one of them says. Rajender, who is a backward class leader, is likely to get the support of the dominant BC Mudiraj community that he hails from. The upper castes to which KCR belongs number 32-33% here, while OBCs are almost at 40%. The SCs make up 19%, STs 2% and Muslims 6.20%. The BJP has promised to make a CM from the backward classes if it forms the government. The BJP's other promises include reduction of VAT on petrol and diesel, and a strong fight against dynasty rule and corruption of the KCR family. As a bloc, if there is any anger against the CM in Gajwel, it is among the over 5,000 families who have been displaced by the Mallanna Sagar Reservoir, created as part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. About 10,000 who used to live in 14 villages that are now submerged live in the R&R Colony, located at the entrance to Gajwel town. They were promised compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh per acre and Rs 250 sq yards of land in the R&R colony. “The families received compensation of Rs 6 lakh per acre, but we cannot purchase land anywhere else because it is too expensive. The BRS government promised us 2BHK houses and plots, but while some have received this, others have not. They are angry with KCR,'' says Bachili Sailu, who owned 12 acres in the submerged Pallipadu village. “We will support anyone but KCR,” says 70-year-old Anjamma, seated along with a dozen other women near an open ground opposite a local BRS office in Gajwel town. Almost breaking down, she adds, "I lost 20 acres of land. We did not receive full compensation even after staging protests for months." Anjamma says she is forced to work as a labourer for Rs 200-250 a day. Neither she nor her husband receive any pension or ration as one of their sons has a job. In the Etigadda Kistapuram R&R colony, Nimmaraj Narasimhlu and his wife Andalu run an eatery and a pharmacy in the front portion of their house for livelihood, now that their farmlands are gone. “We gave away lands that generations of our forefathers lived in. There is nothing for us to do here. We are ready to fall on KCR's feet to set right our lives, but no one cares,” Narasimhlu says. At his public rally, KCR seemed to address this too, saying: “I am aware of the issues faced by those who gave up their lands for these irrigation projects. I salute their sacrifices for the state.” Incidentally, the nostalgia for the land does not seem to be shared by two youngsters from the colony, Ajmera Babu and cousin Banoth Babu, who also call it a “sacrifice” which will be remembered by future generations. “The reservoirs will bring drinking water and lead to an agricultural crisis. To continue the development of the state, KCR needs to come back. There is much more to do,” says Ajmera. The two, both graduates, remain unemployed, and Ajmera has started driving an autorickshaw in Hyderabad for a living. K Ilaiah of Jagdevpur, one of the six Mandals in the Gajwel constituency, says the unemployment problem has increased because of the government raising the retirement age of government employees and not filling existing vacancies. The 62-year-old former government transport corporation driver adds: “Twice we voted for KCR, but not anymore. He played with the lives of our youngsters.” His friend T Srinivas, a cloth merchant, adds that Rythu Bandhu cannot save the CM either. “It is the rich who benefit from Rythu Bandhu.” The scheme does not cover the landless, while the allotment per acre means bigger farmers end up getting more money. A roadside vendor in Gajwel town, M Jangaiah feels the government has done good for every sector and section of society, and the resentment is limited to only some sections. “Those who benefit are happy, but all cannot benefit at once. People earlier struggled for potable water and electricity. All that is a thing of the past. KCR enjoys the support of a large number of people who are not vocal,” Jangaiah says. For Md Jahangir, 38, a flower vendor in the integrated market complex in town, and a resident of Sanghapur village, while development is one part of KCR's appeal, there is a bigger reason. “He is the only leader who does not distinguish between people of different castes and religions and takes everyone along. I used to pay Rs 10,000 and 15,000 as rent outside, and now I pay Rs 1,500 here in the market. Business is good,” he says, adding that all the 70 voters in his extended family will vote for KCR.
