The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress banks on development, TRS on Telangana Poll Scene

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress banks on development, TRS on Telangana Poll Scene

S. Harpal Singh

ADILABAD: There are two factors that prevent the byelection to Adilabad Lok Sabha seat appear like a referendum on the Telangana issue. These are the personal standing of Congress candidate A. Indrakaran Reddy and the visible progress in rural areas, particularly the success of ‘108’ ambulance service.

Mr. Indrakaran Reddy, a sitting MLA from Nirmal, enjoys widespread support. One term as an MP and two consecutive terms as MLA have helped him project an image of being a sober leader.

No other achievement of the Congress Government is as popular as the ‘108’ ambulance service. The service has made access to medicare somewhat easy for the rural folk. Every year, scores of people in rural areas die just because access to good hospitals is difficult.

On the other hand, as the date for the byelection approaches, the Telangana sentiment is getting stronger. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti’s campaign that if it does not win in these elections, separate Statehood will remain a distant dream seems to be working.

Its candidate T. Madhusudhan Reddy can consider himself lucky in case he is able to ride to victory on the back of the sentiment for the second time in a row. Like in the 2004 elections, he was an underdog but the only difference is that he had the support of the Congress then.

As the electoral fight boils down to Telangana issue and development under Congress government, the TDP finds itself in a peculiar position. Even committed TDP voters maintain that even if party candidate S. Venugopalachary manages to win it will not alter the status of the party. However, party leaders like district president Gone Hanmanth Rao are confident of the TDP’s win. “Our vote bank is intact and sufficient to see the candidate through,” he claims.

Going by Assembly segments, the TRS candidate is likely to hold on to his huge tally of 80,000 that he secured in Mudhole last time and improve it in Boath and Adilabad. But, the Congress is likely to score in Nirmal, Khanapur and Sirpur Assembly segments.

So far as TDP held Asifabad constituency is concerned, all parties look like standing on equal footing.

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