Congress deploys troubleshooter DKS

Hyderabad: As the results of the ‘semi-finals’ are set to be announced now, tension is mounting among the two major contending parties, BRS and Congress. Neither of them wants to leave any stone unturned to see that they are in the driver’s seat.

The big question before both sides is how to protect their flock in case of split verdict and hung assembly. While the BRS is sure of getting the support of AIMIM and the possibility of BJP emerging as kingmaker is not ruled out, the Congress party has deployed its troubleshooter DK Shivakumar in Hyderabad.

Talking to reporters, Shiva Kumar said that all winning candidates would reach Hyderabad by evening. He denied reports that they would be taken to Karnataka. "There is no need for them (MLAs) to go anywhere." He said that some people were trying to get in touch with the winning candidates in Telangana. However, the Congress will manage it locally, he added.

Even BRS leaders claimed that Congress leaders were in touch with some BRS winning horses but all their efforts to poach anyone from BRS will not succeed.

The Congress party wants to prove what some pollsters have been predicting. They had said if BRS gets 55 seats, Congress candidates would form a queue before KCR’s farmhouse. Congress leaders say that the pink party would be disappointed as no Congress candidate was for sale.

They exuded confidence that they were coming to power. Asked what would happen in case of a cliff hanger scenario, they said there would be reverse migration from BRS to Congress. However, they are keeping their fingers crossed as in such a situation, the AIMIM would support BRS and the BJP may extend outside support. Amongst other leaders who will be present in Hyderabad from Sunday includes former Union Minister P Chidambaram, MP Randeep Surjewala and several others.