News Analysis| High voltage poll campaign with twists and turns, Karnataka rule dominates issues

High-stakes Telangana elections saw parties take potshots at each other, with corruption and family rule dominating the campaign. Top leaders of Congress and BJP, including Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi, campaigned vigorously. BRS chief KCR addressed 96 rallies, while Congress promised six guarantees and BJP focussed on Centre's welfare schemes. Election Commission took serious note of language used by leaders. Now, it's up to the voters to decide the fate of the parties.

The three-week long no hold barred high voltage campaign for the November 30 Assembly elections in Telangana that came to an end on Tuesday evening at the stroke of 5 p.m. had all the twists and turns.

The most unlikeliest issue that dominated the campaign was the governance in neighbouring Congress-ruled Karnataka and its ‘failed promises’ as alleged by the BRS dominated the issues. Campaign also hit a new high with the parties taking to television channels to take pot shots at the rival parties through stinging spots. The ads inserted by the major parties exposing each other turned murkier with EC notices to the parties.

In the high stakes elections for the ruling BRS, Congress and the BJP, the campaign witnessed accusations and counter accusations, challenges and denials by the top leaders. Corruption charge against the ruling dispensation and the family rule charge against BRS President and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao dominated the political landscape.

The leading lights of the Congress and BJP led by none else than Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to spend considerable time in election campaign. Dozens of Union Ministers and who is who of the Congress top leadership hit the road in Telangana to drum up support for the respective parties and candidates.

In the prestigious election for the BRS, KCR led the campaign from the front assisted ably by his son and working president K.T.Rama Rao, Minister for Finance T. Harish Rao and daughter and Member of Legislative Council K. Kavitha. To the credit of the BRS chief, he addressed as many as 96 election meetings in two phases.

Covering three to four election rallies every day by criss crossing the State in helicopter, KCR began his campaign harping on the welfare and development schemes and cautioning the voters about the Opposition Congress and the BJP and their opportunistic politics.

Trying to drive home the fact that any lethargy in choosing the right party at the time of voting would doom the development of the State, KCR resorted to emotive appeal by saying he would lose nothing if the party lost the election but made it clear, if the people wanted the State to suffer in the hands of rival parties. From welfare and development schemes, KCR hit back at the Congress on its pathetic governance in Karnataka where he alleged that the government was unable to provide five hour power supply. He also ridiculed TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy for his talk of three hour power supply and suggestion to install 10 HP pumpsets.