Munugode bypoll: TRS ups its game with eye on national stage, high-octane BJP may fall short

To match the BJP’s high-optics campaign and promises of Central government largesse, the TRS has deployed 14 state ministers and at least 50-60 MLAs to cover every inch of Munugode in Nalgonda district. Everywhere you go in the constituency, BRS leaders are highlighting and amplifying the state’s “national role model” schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Dalit Bandhu, free power to the farm sector, farm insurance and myraid other schemes and initiatives that they claim are bringing a change in the lives of the people, especially the poor and marginalised, especially Dalits.

Bye-elections to Munugode in Telangana’s Nalgonda district will be held on November 3.With promises of vigorously implementing the schemes and covering more people, like the dominant Goud community with a special Goud Bhima scheme, party leaders are telling voters that the BJP candidate, Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, who was elected on a Congress ticket in December 2018 but resigned from it on August 2 to join the BJP, is a businessman with little interest in their welfare.

The TRS is also accusing Raj Gopal Reddy of joining the BJP after receiving civil works contracts from the Centre worth Rs 18,000 crore. “I’m not saying this. Raj Gopal has himself said that his company received the contracts,” says the TRS candidate, former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s son and the powerful IT and Industries Minister, K T Rama Rao, has promised to “adopt” the constituency, and turn it into a “model of development”. The CM is himself expected to address a public meeting here, something he did not do in the bypolls for Dubbaka and Huzurabad, which the BJP won, or for Nagarjuna Sagar, which was captured by the TRS.

Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi Reddy is virtually battling it out alone.
(Express Photo)

In spite of bringing to bear all its might in this bypoll, the BJP appears to be looking down the barrel. However, what has the TRS worried is that the BJP candidate, Raj Gopal Reddy, won the seat in the last Assembly elections in 2018 on a Congress ticket, defying the TRS sweep across the state.

To guard against such surprises now, CM KCR has roped in the Left parties. Munugode and much of Nalgonda district are former Communist strongholds. CPI candidates won from here in 1985, 1989 and 1994, and as recently as in 2004 and 2009. The CPI has not put up a candidate and extended support to the TRS, as has the CPI(M). The Left parties, which claim at least 20,000 “Communist voters” in Munugode, say they are backing the TRS to keep out the BJP and its “divisive” politics.

While 66% of Munugode’s population is estimated to be OBC and all three – the TRS, BJP and Congress – have fielded upper caste Reddys, that may not be much of a factor. “In Munugode, no one has been able to unite the OBCs. The OBC groups vote for different parties, so in spite of being in strength, we never had an OBC MLA. OBC candidates put up by parties like the BSP and Independents receive less than 5,000 or 6,000 votes,” says OBC leader Paddalu Goud at Pinapaka village.

About 9% of voters in the seat are handloom weavers, who also vouch for the TRS government.
(Express Photo)

What may finally overweigh all factors are the TRS welfare schemes. Across the constituency, people swear by them. “As farmers, the most significant help the TRS government has given us is free, uninterrupted power. Prior to 2014, we faced power cuts, low voltage and frequent outages. That’s no longer the case, so we’re growing cotton and paddy in plenty. Secondly, many of the fluoride-hit villages are now receiving potable water through taps laid under Mission Bhagiratha. We are also receiving cash assistance under Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima,” says B Narasaih, a farmer in Samsthan Narayanpur, who owns two acres and grew cotton this season, and calls the BJP “anti-farmer”.

About 9% of voters in the seat are handloom weavers, who also vouch for the TRS government.

Raj Gopal’s supporters claim he won in 2018 due to his hard work and charisma. “He is promising a double engine growth model this time. He is very popular and has the backing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” gushes T Rajender, a first-time voter from Munugode. “All the youth support Raj Gopal, the BJP and Narendra Modi,” says another youngster.

66% of Munugode’s population is estimated to be OBC and all three – the TRS, BJP and Congress – have fielded upper caste Reddys, that may not be much of a factor. (Express Photo)

Raj Gopal’s huge “camp office” in the constituency is swarming with similar young and enthusiastic supporters. Apart from BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, party national president J P Nadda and other national leaders are expected to address public meetings before the November 3 election.

In this TRS-BJP tussle, the Congress seems already a has been, despite having won Munugode last time and despite the hopes generated by Rahul Gandhi’s yatra currently passing through Telangana. In fact, the entire top state party leadership, including its Telangana chief A Revanth Reddy, who were supposed to campaign for the bypoll, are busy with the Bharat Joda Yatra, which will be in Telangana until November 7.

Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi Reddy is virtually battling it out alone.

There is no dearth of candidates though, with as many as 70 in the fray for a seat that will go to polls in just a year again. The TRS had earlier expressed the apprehension that many of these candidates had poll symbols similar to its, and had been put up precisely to cut into its votes.

One front that has other parties too worried is the Telangana Jana Samiti, floated by B Kodandaram, a former Osmania University professor, who led the student agitation for a separate Telangana state. It has fielded OBC candidate Palle Vinay Kumar Goud. The BSP’s Andoju Shanakara Chari may also take away some of the OBC votes.

A substantial number of the 2.18 total votes in Munugode may end up in the NOTA basket, with the constituency known to see substantial ‘none of the above’ votes — 3,086 in the 2018 Assembly elections, for example. Observers attribute this to Munugode’s Left leanings and disillusionment with all parties.

Meanwhile, as most leaders and supporters of the TRS, BJP and Congress commute from Hyderabad for the campaign, the roads of Munugode, otherwise a quiet, sleepy area, are suddenly full of shiny Kia Carnivals, Mercs and BMWs.