KCR Orders TRS Cadre To Devise Foolproof Poll Strategy

Hyderabad: Despite getting perturbed by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Chief K Chandrashekar Rao's decision on the election date, the party's cadre is chalking out plans to make the best out of the additional time after the Chief Election Commission's announcement of the election date.

With renewed energy and restructured strategies, the TRS leaders are looking forward to utilising the extra time of over a month following the EC's decision to conduct the polls in December, as against KCR's estimation of election date in November. As part of a review on the TRS's election campaign, KCR, in a meeting with the party State Committee members, enquired on the status of electioneering in various constituencies. Based on the reviews, it is believed that the TRS Chief phoned some of the contestants and ordered them to work on a roadmap a second round of campaigning.

KCR ordered the TRS leaders to strengthen the party cadre at the Village level and to facilitate personal interaction with all the voters. The particulars and the dates for the public meetings to be held in Adilabad, Medak and Ranga Reddy districts would be finalized, according to sources. Saying that the deadlock on the pending 14 constituencies for which the contestants are yet to be finalised would be solved after October 9, KCR instructed the hopefuls in the constituencies to intensify the campaign.

Manifesto in the making

In addition to reviewing the campaign in various constituencies, KCR is very particular about the party's election manifesto. While the manifesto committee is busy designing populist schemes, KCR is instisting on making the manifesto that can counter the promises being made by the Congress. As part of this strategy, the TDP supremo wants to release the manifesto after all the parties announce their agendas. In view of the success of the 'Bangaru Telangana' slogan during the 2014 elections, the TRS wants to continue to with it.

Under the leadership of TRS Secretary General K Keshava Rao, the 16-member election manifesto committee sat together on September 15 for the first time. In this respect, the committee is hopeful of finalising the manifesto in the next 15 days. The reason for delay in releasing the TRS manifesto lies in the strategy to dominate the Congress manifesto, it is learnt.

The TRS manifesto, however, will take into consideration the aspirations of the people and the State's current economic scenario. Primarily, the TRS wants to focus on formulating a new system for providing jobs in the State, providing unemployment allowance to the youth and increasing the pension given to the beneficiaries in view of the rising costs of daily needs.

Also, the manifesto is believed to include the interests of all the social communities and groups. A revised 'double bed-room' scheme is also being contemplated by the committee, with options to offer subsidy to those beneficiaries who own space for the houses. Although the party leaders wish to include the farm loan waiver in the manifesto, there is no clarity on it owing to the State's economy.

Demands From Social Groups

Various social groups, unions and self help groups are approaching TRS leaders Harish Rao, KTR and MP Kavitha with requests to include their demands in the manifesto. Ever since the State Assembly was dissolved on September 6, committee Chairman Keshava Rao has been busy meeting leaders of various associations. In total, 170 memoranda had been received before the committee was formed and 50 more had been received by the committee from the groups and associations.

Also Read: KCR To Release TRS Election Manifesto After Dasara?