Tight contests in Telangana as 1,824 candidates join fray

Sonia Gandhi visit to give a shot in the arm to Congress campaign

Most of the 119 assembly constituencies in Telangana will witness multicornered contests in the December 7 election, after 1,824 candidates were left in the fray following the withdrawal of some nomination papers.

While in most constituencies the main fight will be between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Maha Kutami, or Grand Alliance of opposition parties, some seats will see a three-way contest.

In eight constituencies of Hyderabad, the All India Majlis-eIttehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is fighting against several rivals, while the BJP has fielded candidates in most constituencies.

The saffron party is going all out to retain its five seats and increase its strength.

The ruling TRS and the main opposition Congress have managed to placate most of the rebel Jamat-e-Islami Hind, the biggest socio-religious organisation of Muslims, has announced its support to the AIMIM in eight constituencies and to the ruling TRS in the remaining 111 constituencies.

Hamed Mohammad Khan, president of the Telangana unit of the Jamat, said the decision was taken after Jamat’s reviewing the situation in the country. “The advisory council of Jamat-e-Islami Telangana has decided to support the TRS candidates in December Assembly polls for the development of Telangana state, better governance and to ensure justice to all the sections of society,” he said.

In constituencies where the BJP appears strong, Jamat will support a secular candidate who is in a better position to defeat it, he added. candidates from the contest.

However, a number of them were still in the fray. There are six rebels of the TRS and seven to withdraw of the Grand Alliance still in the contesting, posing a threat to the prospects of the official candidates.

Meanwhile a team of officials led by the Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat arrived in Hyderabad yesterday to review the arrangements for the poll.

Rawat held a review meeting with the Superintendents of police of all districts and other senior police officials. This is his second visit to Hyderabad since the poll process began.

KCR in whirlwind tour

With less than two weeks left for the polling the electioneering by all the major political parties was picking pace.

While Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was undertaking a whirlwind tour of the state addressing two to three meetings every day, the campaign of the Congress party was expected to receive a shot in the arm as top party leader Sonia Gandhi was to address an election rally in Medchal 40km away from Hyderabad late yesterday. This was Sonia Gandhi’s first visit to the state since the formation of separate Telangana state in June 2014.