Behind TRS landslide, goodwill for KCR, Telangana pride

While the goodwill created by the welfare schemes helped TRS keep its support base intact, the Telangana pride evoked repeatedly by KCR apparently worked against the Congress-led Mahakutami.

Telangana elections, N Chandrababu Naidu, TRS, K Chandrashekar Rao, Telangana Assembly Elections 2018, Telangana polls, Indian exprerss — KCR took a decision to dissolve the Assembly nine months ahead of its tenure to go for early elections.

On November 20, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, TRS leader and daughter of Telangana Chief had told The Indian Express: “You may hear many leaders claiming that the fight here is tight.. but you wait. On the counting day, you will see the silent wave in favour of KCR… That’s what my father says always.”

The leads in Telangana indicate Kavitha was right. So was KCR, who took a decision to dissolve the Assembly nine months ahead of its tenure to go for early elections. It was a decision much-criticised, termed as arrogance and as paving way for a prospective alliance with the BJP.

The TRS, which has been riding on the goodwill created by an array of populist measures, had also, interestingly, shown signs of worry during the campaign. Instead of relying on the welfare schemes or the sops initiated by the KCR-led government, TRS leaders were heard talking more about the “Telangana pride” and other emotive issues, which were interpreted as signs of nervousness.