Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s recent statement on GHMC elections has triggered several speculations in political fraternity. With Pawan openly stating that he is yet to take a call on it itself indicates that he is deeply mulling over either fielding candidates from his party or to support the TDP-BJP front in the coming Mayor elections. Given that most of the urban voters are inclined towards TDP and BJP and if Pawan factor too adds, no doubt it is going to take its toll on the winning chances of ruling TRS.
Though TRS is backed by MIM and minorities, it might work to the pink party in crucial locales like Old City, whereas in the rest it has to slug it out with TDP, BJP, Congress, Communist and Lok Satta parties. Already, TDP-BJP has proved its strength in recent Assembly, Parliament elections.TDP-BJP combine stood first by bagging 14 out of the 24 Assembly segments in Greater Hyderabad, whereas MIM got 7 and TRS was confined to just 3 Assembly segments (Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Patancheru). Congress, which had won 15 Assembly seats and 3 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 in Greater Hyderabad, was totally wiped out of the city.
If Pawan decides to pit his own candidates definitely it would eat few votes of TDP-BJP and hence Pawan would give an outside support or enter into an electoral alliance with TDP and BJP in the city. If Pawan joins his forces with TDP and BJP again, certainly there will be drastic changes in the political equations. On flip side, TRS has taken GHMC elections prestigiously as it acts like referendum on 3-month-old TRS rule. At the same time, the upcoming election are equally important for TRS’s key ally MIM which is presently holding Mayor post- Mohammad Majid Hussain.
BJP, the arch rival of MIM, is chalking out plans to put stop to MIM’s rule in Hyderabad. Since it can’t take on TRS, MIM alone, it direly needs support of allies. BJP chief- Man of the Match of Lok Sabha polls Amit Shah’s recent visit to Hyderabad comes close on the heels. And his meeting with Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and TDP Supremo Chandra Babu Naidu says it all. Although there is over 2 months time for GHMC elections, political parties have started their preparations. On whole, one thing is clear, Pawan Kalyan is going to be the centre of attraction in GHMC elections. Let’s see whether Pawan applies brakes to TRS, MIM or not.
