BRS rebels worked in favour of BJP to ensure Congress defeat?

Rangareddy: While political parties are busy in assessing which way the wind blew on the day of polling in Chevella Lok Sabha segment, reports emerging from different sources are suggesting that the BRS votes in almost all the seven constituencies have been divided between the Congress and the BJP.

The rebellious BRS leaders are said to have clandestinely worked for cross voting simply to ensure the defeat of Dr Ranjith Reddy, the Congress candidate, who recently deserted the party to continue his political career.

Reports emerging from the constituencies, considered as strong strongholds of BRS in Ranga Reddy district, such as Rajendranagar, Maheshwaram, Pargi and Serilingampally, stoke-up an argument that speaks squarely about transfer of considerable BRS votes to the saffron party.

Three out of seven constituencies, such as Serilingampally, Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram, have a crucial role in the Chevella segment in terms of voter strength. While Serilingampally has a whopping 758,108 voters, Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram have 612,170 and 556,741 electors respectively.

However, Serilingampally displayed a poor performance in voter turnout with a mere 43.91 per cent, leaving the ball in the court of Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram to create a strong mandate, where 54.12 per cent and 52.71 per cent polling was recorded on 13 May. Of the total 29,38,370 voters in the segment, the three constituencies have a vote base of over 19.27 lakh.

Although, the other four constituencies--Chevella (71.83 per cent), Pargi (76.01 per cent), Vikarabad (70.44 per cent) and Tandur (67.33 per cent)--have fared well on the polling day, all constituencies together have 10.11 lakh voters with comparative rate of mere 39-40 per cent voting.

Although BC voters have upper hand in the segment, the minority voters, who account for over 15 per cent and mainly based in Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram constituencies, also play a decisive role in the elections.

It is learnt that many BRS leaders in Maheshwaram and Rajendranagar have cross campaigned and prevailed upon voters to favour BJP on the day of polling. "While the wind at Muslim majority areas in BRS strongholds, especially in Maheshwaram and Rajendranagar, completely favoured Congress, BC voters in other parts of BRS dominant areas in both constituencies were said to have been divided and favoured both BRS and the saffron party,” informed Syed Afzal Ahmed, chairman, minority wing, Bandlaguda Municipal Corporation.

It is learnt that many BRS leaders in Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram were unhappy with MP Ranjith Reddy, who abandoned the pink party just ahead of the polling, as well as MLA Prakash Goud and said to have worked extensively to divert votes in favour of BJP out of resentment.

Reports from various sources hinted that leaders close to BRS Maheshwaram MLA P Sabita Indra Reddy played a crucial role in diverting votes. Some videos doing rounds on social media have even revealed the names of a few BRS leaders who reportedly asked their local supporters and voters to favour the saffron party on the polling day.

The BRS voters in Jalpally municipality, an area considered a stronghold of Sabita have been divided between the Congress and the BJP. While the majority voters appeared to have favoured the Congress in Maheshwaram, those in other BRS dominant areas were divided into both BRS and BJP, Mohd Shaker, said a senior Congress leader from Jalpally municipality.

Similar reports are emerging from many parts of the Rajendranagar area where local MLA T Prakash Goud is said to have adopted the same strategy in the constituency.

“A majority of voters favoured BJP this time in Mailardevpally, where Prakash Goud resides. Several BRS leaders were found prevailing over voters to favour BJP, instead of BRS,” said Mahender, a local resident.