Candidates go all out in high-stakes MLC battle | Hyderabad News

The high-stakes Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahbubnagar graduates MLC constituency goes to polls on Sunday. U Sudhakar Reddy analyses the chances of candidates in the fray
N Ramchander Rao, BJP candidate
Strengths
BJP has done extremely well in recent elections in Telangana, as seen in the GHMC polls and Dubbak bypoll.
BJP as a party and Ramchander as a candidate focused on enrolment of a large number of graduates. Most of the enrolments, done by right-wing affiliated organisations, targeted people of similar ideology
Ramchander established a strong connect with advocate community
Six Brahmin associations extended support to Ramchander. Brahmins comprise a decent chunk among MLC voters
Top state leaders campaigned for him
Weaknesses
Privatisation of PSUs, Union government policies and dissent among central government employees against BJP
Other leaders are not happy with Ramchander contesting for MLA, MP and MLC polls and holding multiple positions
Criticism against Ramchander is that he failed to take up key issues during his stint as MLC
Opportunities
Pro-BJP wave and a pro-Modi vote. Growing grassroots level cadre. BJP has appointed in-charges for every 25 to 30 voters, who will bring voters to booths
Threats
If the result is not decided with first preference vote or second preference vote, he may face a difficult situation
Brahmin votes to be divided between Ramchander and TRS candidate Surabhi Vani Devi
BJP does not have a strong position among employees’ unions in Hyderabad-Rangareddy- Mahbubnagar seat
Surabhi Vani Devi, TRS candidate
Strengths
Being the daughter of former PM PV Narasimha Rao, his legacy, reputation and reputation as a reformist come in handy for her
TRS being the ruling party extended solid support to her
CM KCR and minister KTR took personal interest and guided the campaign to ensure her victory. KTR himself attended several meetings. TRS ministers from nine districts campaigned vigorously.
Party has a strong network of sarpanches, MPTCs, ZPTCs, councillors in urban and rural areas
Weaknesses
Vani Devi is a novice in politics. She has less knowledge of key issues like ITIR, privatisation
General anti-incumbency towards TRS. She is too dependant on party
Except being PV’s daughter, no individual connect with voters like her rivals. She is a late entrant into the poll ring
Divide within the PV family. NV Subash, grandson of PV, supported BJP’s Ramchander
Unemployed youth not happy with TRS. State government employees have demanded more fitment
Opportunities
Being a fresh face and KCR and KTR’s magic touch may help her get votes. If party strategy to get electors to polling booths works out on Sunday, she may have an advantage
Threats
Brahmin votes to be divided between her and BJP candidate
Prof K Nageshwar, Independent candidate
Strengths
He has a huge number of followers among educated for his oratory skills and participation in TV debates. He is popular on YouTube
The professor is supported by 50 organisations and unions in the banking sector, central government, confederation of employees’ unions, insurance sector
Teachers unions’ enrolled votes stand at around 65,000. Several teachers’ unions extended support to him
As an MLC twice, he had raised multiple issues in council and has a clean image
Weaknesses
No political party backup. No cadre. Has to depend completely on unions. He is a one-man army
Left alliance may not go well in right-wing charged atmosphere
Unlike parties, he does not have a mechanism to take the electors to booths and do micro-level management
He hasn’t organised caste meetings
Opportunities
If the result is not decided with the first preferential vote, Nageshwar may get more number of second preferential votes
Experience of previously contesting and winning MLC polls may help him
Sizeable central government employees living in Hyderabad who are against privatisation may vote for him as he has been their voice
Threats
Last time, a few political parties had…