HYDERABAD: With several exit polls predicting a close fight between ruling Congress and BJP and a rout of BRS, Telangana is seeing one of the most riveting political battles which will be decided one way or the other on Tuesday.
The verdict in the state will reveal how the Modi factor squared off against dominant Congress party. For CM
A Revanth Reddy
, a win will help him cement his stay in the top chair.
For BJP, bagging a majority of seats is crucial as the party sees the state as a major catchment area. For BRS and former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, a good score of LS seats is essential in order to survive on the political chessboard.
Counting of votes will begin at 8am at 34 centres across the state, and trends are likely to be known by 11am.
Apart from the LS vote count, the counting of votes polled in the bypoll held for the Secunderabad Cantonment assembly constituency would also begin at 8 am. Telangana had recorded 66.3 % voter turnout for the LS polls held on May 13.
Counting at 8am today, all measures in place for D-Day
Telangana Congress
president and chief minister A Revanth Reddy and
Telangana BJP
chief and Union minister
G Kishan Reddy
are confident of bagging double-digit seats. If Congress falls short of BJP tally even by a seat, detractors within the grand old party might train their guns on Revanth Reddy. The verdict in
Nagarkurnool
and Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituencies are crucial for the chief minister. Both the constituencies fall in the CM's home district. On the other hand, the future of BRS depends on its vote share and the Medak Lok Sabha seat outcome.
BRS had polled 37.3% votes and bagged 39 seats in the 2023 assembly polls, a significant drop from the 46.87% it polled in the 2018 assembly polls, when it won 88 seats. Exit polls have predicted that the vote share of BRS might deplete further. Congress, which had received 39.4% vote share in the assembly polls and won 64 seats, is hoping to improve its tally by banking on welfare schemes.
In the 2023 assembly polls, BJP had secured 13.9% votes compared to just 6.9% in 2018 polls. However, its vote share in the 2019 LS polls increased to 19.5%, securing four seats.
BJP is banking on Modi wave and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. BJP president Kishan Reddy is also seeking re-election from Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat. Khammam, Chevella and Malkajgiri are the other top seats to watch out for. Election authorities have made all necessary arrangements, including security and counting staff, for the results.
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