KCR's plan to ride out BJP wave

Not just power reforms but presidential election is also going to take centre-stage in the anti-BJP campaign that the political parties which are dead against the saffron party are trying to organise.

If the BJP rivals can arrive at some consensus, they would try to put the BJP in a tight corner. As of now, the talk is that the incumbent President, Ramnath Kovind, would be the choice of BJP once again as the President of India. BJP, perhaps, would like to throw the ball back into the opposition parties court as Kovind happens to be a Dalit. But in case it wants to have some other person as its candidate, it could be a different scenario.

The President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and the Union Territories of Delhi and Pondicherry.

The southern states and Maharashtra account for more than 200 Lok Sabha seats which could be crucial both in the next Lok Sabha polls and the presidential election. These states account for a large electoral college and if regional parties team up, it's unlikely that the BJP will have its way in the President elections and will have to search for a consensus candidate. If BJP re-nominates Kovind, then the opposition parties may not have much of choice but to support him or else the BJP would go to town saying they are anti-Dalit.

The teaming up of Chief Ministers is not a good sign for Congress party. Though some like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao are batting for Congress support as well, others like Mamata Banerjee and Shiv Sena want to keep it out. Though KCR is also meeting MK Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, and Mamata Banerjee to see that a new front against BJP is formed, he has an uphill task in convincing some of the leaders regarding Congress being part of the front. Another issue that needs to be pondered over is whether Congress would agree to be dominated by regional parties.

How the dynamics of politics would change ahead of 2024 polls, if not advanced, would depend on whether anti-BJP forces can arrive at a consensus on crucial issues. The basic hurdle is regarding the participation of Congress. Unless this is resolved, forming a front would be an uphill task.

The coming together of all anti-BJP parties is also important for KCR on the home turf. He is forced to take on BJP due to domestic compulsions as BJP has focussed its attention on Telangana. He is also facing anti-incumbency factor. Hence, taking on BJP has become inevitable for him. He has conveniently used the Centre's refusal to buy parboiled rice which proved to be a trigger point for taking on BJP. He has now brought up the issue of power reforms which according to him would prevent farmers from getting free power.

This he wants to take deep among the farmers. It may not be surprising that despite his denial, he may go in for elections in 2023 if by that time he succeeds in forming a front. Hence, the anti-BJP front is now the most important agenda before KCR.