The following article was written for MyInd Makers. Pasting it here for reference:
Elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) are to be held on December 1st. This time, these elections have garnered interest even at the national level. From all ground reports, it is quite clear that the BJP is making TRS sweat it out in this election. This was also evident from the manner in which CM KCR spoke at a public meeting in Hyderabad yesterday evening.
What we saw was the return of the quintessential KCR who used to campaign on fearmongering. During the course of this campaign, he made weird claims that the central government was planning to sell the LIC! He repeated this absurd claim in the public meeting yesterday. In addition, he added that the Modi government is planning to sell off the BHEL and…behold… the Railways too! He went on to exhibit some bravado in claiming that “KCR is being told not to ask these questions but KCR is not afraid of anyone”! If the insipid reaction of the crowd is anything to go by, KCR should have realised that these arguments aren’t cutting any ice.
Towards the end of the speech, KCR also made an appeal (from 43:00 onwards) in both Hindi and English. He appealed to the “intellectuals” to “Save Hyderabad”! He created fear that if TRS doesn’t win the GHMC elections, then there will be unrest here; and therefore, real estate prices will come down; investments will not come; unemployment will increase etc. It was really amusing how he made a pointed reference to real estate prices, because in the runup to the formation of Telangana, this was exactly the argument peddled by those opposed to the formation of the state!
But why is he warning of unrest? TRS’s plank in this GHMC election has been that if BJP wins, then there will be widespread communal unrest in Hyderabad. Even during the recently held Dubbaka by-poll, KCR’s son and minister, KTR held a press conference to accuse the BJP of trying to create bloodshed in Hyderabad. People are still wondering what the link between the Dubbaka by-poll and Hyderabad is!
Last week, KCR suddenly held a review with the top brass of the police on law and order situation of the state. We then had to hear about how he warned about “divisive forces” trying to create havoc in the state and asked the police to take strict action against these forces. The DGP held a press conference in which he told that they had specific inputs about how such havoc was going to be created. Everyone had only one question ever since that review meeting – how many people were arrested based on these “specific inputs”? Chief campaigner KTR was also asked this question many times – we are yet to get a number!
When BJP chief, Bandi Sanjay said that Rohignyas will be thrown out once BJP is voted, many asked what was the BJP doing all these years for the same? And how does being in power in GHMC give them any leeway in doing the same? KTR went to town challenging the BJP to do so. But within days, tables turned with KCR’s review and statements based only on rhetoric.
The first half of KCR’s speech at the public meeting yesterday focused entirely on his government’s achievements – part related to Hyderabad and part related to the entire state. The dialogue delivery that KCR is typically associated was sorely missing in yesterday’s speech. Except for an occasional one liner here and there, the insipid speech does leave one wondering – what happened to KCR?
Today is the last day of campaigning for the election. Amit Shah is slated to come, and conduct road shows today. We are yet to hear the final word on the campaigning!
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