Hyderabad: In a region which is going to be India's newest state, it is K Chandhashekhar Rao versus the rest. Even though there is a multi-cornered contest across in all the 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 Assembly seats, the main fight is between KCR and the rest. The ruling Congress is seeking votes for fulfilling the promise of a separate state. The TRS led by K Chandrashekhar Rao is hoping that the people will vote for its 13 year long spirited fight for Telangana state.
Even his opponents agree that KCR is the most popular face and the people associate statehood with him. A powerful orator and a shrewd political gambler, KCR is contesting on his own hoping to rule the state, which he calls his own.
KCR is a very charismatic personality and he has campaigned extensively across Telangana. According to a senior journalist in Hyderabad, the people of Telangana are facing a big dilemma. They now have to choose between their head and heart. If the heart says vote the TRS, the head says the Congress.
The TRS lacks organisational structure across Telangana. The Congress has a well oiled structure and booth level workers. The TRS may have to struggle to translate people's goodwill into votes.
KCR is contesting in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly election. He is contesting from Medak Lok Sabha seat and Gajwel Assembly seat in the same district. His nephew T Harish Rao is contesting from Siddipet in Medak district.
KCR's daughter K Kavitha is making her electoral debut from Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat. She is taking on the sitting MP Madhu Yakshi Goud of the Congress.
KCR's son KT Ramarao is seeking re-election from Sircilla assembly seat in Karimnagar district. These things have led to criticism that KCR is turning the state into a family business.
KCR has fielded a super rich candidate Dr Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from Chevella. He is the grandson of legendary Telangana leader Ranga Reddy and the nephew of former chief minister Dr M Chenna Reddy. He is facing former Andhra Pradesh home minister Sabita Indra Reddy's son Karthik Reddy of the Congress.
Veteran Congress leader S Jaipala Reddy is now contesting from Mahboobnagar Lok Sabha seat vacated by KCR. The Congress has once again fielded its union ministers Balram Naik and Survey Sathyanarayana.
The BJP-TDP alliance is hoping to win 1-2 seats from Telangana. It has fielded a veteran Nagam Janardhana Reddy from Mahboobnagar and former union minister Bandaru Dattathreya from Secundarabad.
The MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking re-election from Hyderabad, whose 65 per cent voters are Muslims. The YSRCP has fielded retired DGP of Andhra Pradesh V Dinesh Reddy from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat, which is the largest seat in India voter-wise. Malkajgiri has almost 30 lakh voters.
The TRS is considered quiet strong in northern districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and also in Medak in the western parts. But, the Congress has a good presence all over Telangana.
The KCR is attacking both the Congress and the TDP. He called the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, an Andhrawala who has no business to live in Telangana, forget contesting from there.
The Congress has taken the battle for Telangana very seriously. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and even the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh have campaigned in Telangana. The BJP's PM nominee Narendra Modi has also addressed four public meetings in Telangana.
The TDP-BJP and the YSRCP are fighting for the third and fourth place. Telangana is voting on April 30 and the new state will officially come into existence on June 2.
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