Anti-incumbency factor haunts BRS

Hyderabad: Will the anti-incumbency factor affect the BRS? If so, to what extent? These are the questions that are troubling the ruling party candidates who are in the midst of the poll campaign as the elections are just 48 days away.

When BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao announced the list of 115 candidates, he had stated that depending upon the survey reports he may change some candidates before giving the B forms. It was felt that about 7-10 candidates may face the axe.

But with the fast-changing political equations, it is learnt that KCR would not take such a risk. At the most, he may change just one or two candidates and that too since he wants to accommodate a BC candidate from the Mudiraj community. KCR would be handing over the B forms to the candidates on October 15 and on that day he may make changes. Sources said that changes at this point of time when the candidates are in the thick of campaign could derail the BRS applecart as there would be dissension and confusion among the cadre and voters.

The BRS will name a new candidate for the Malkajgiri Assembly constituency as sitting MLA Mynampally Hanumanth Rao had switched over to Congress. Similarly, the candidate for the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district will be changed as KCR wants a BC candidate from the Mudiraj community to contest from there. Senior leaders had stressed the need to change a few candidates who are facing anti-incumbency in the constituencies.

They said during the Munugode bypoll the party had won with a narrow margin of 15,000 votes when 100 leaders canvassed.

Now everyone would be busy with their own campaign and it could become difficult to overcome the anti-incumbency factor. This would make such candidates dependent on the two star campaigners K T Rama Rao and T Harish Rao.