Lot Of Developments Unfolding As Telangana Heading For Close Finish: WIll BJP Become Kingmaker?

As the exit polls have predicted a close finish in Telangana assembly polls, a lot of developments are unfolding in the state, majorly in the BRS and Congress camps.

In the exit polls, pollsters have predicted the Congress to emerge victorious, political pundits believe that the opinion polls can go wrong as the surveys were conducted before the polling and the pulse of the voters can always change at the last minute.

Especially since the voter turnout (71.34 per cent) registered two per cent less this time compared to the 2018 elections (73.74 per cent). Even in 2014 and 2009, the turnout was at 74.2 per cent and 72.7 per cent, respectively.

As a result, Telangana is heading for a nail-biting finish. A lot of developments are taking place a day before the counting in the state. Here, we bring you the top developments:

Cabinet Meeting
As per the buzz, iF BRS wins they have decided to hold the swearing-in ceremony on 4th of December without any further delay. After holding several rounds of talks with his son and minister KTR, he has called for the meeting. "He has been understanding the polling trend by getting ground reports from every region and also specific segments that may witness close contests.

He has been confident of getting a majority of seats from the north and central regions of the state. In the south region, too, BRS is expected to register a decent performance. With that confidence, he has been telling party leaders who have visited him on Friday morning not to lose hope looking at exit polls. Low voter turnout indicates that there is not much anti-incumbency which is advantageous to the ruling party," Deccan Herald quoted a source in BRS as saying.

Cong Cautious About Poaching Attempt
In an attempt to keep its flock together in case of a hung assembly, the senior leadership of Congress, along with AICC (All India Congress Committee) leaders, has directed their party's MLA candidates to come to Hyderabad today. These MLAs have been instructed to stay at the Taj Hotel in Hyderabad. The move is a strategic effort by Congress to ensure that their MLAs remain vigilant and avoid any potential missteps, especially in a situation where the numerical balance is crucial. Previously, there were indications that Congress might relocate its MLAs to Bangalore under the oversight of the Karnataka Congress government, but it seems that this plan has now been revised.

DK Shivakumar In Hyderabad
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, known as a trouble-shooter, has arrived in Hyderabad. He has alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is trying to lure the Congress candidates in the state to form the next government. "We have the information that they (BRS) are trying to trap us. Our candidates have told us that the CM (KCR) himself has approached them," DK said. As per the buzz, he has predicted a hung assembly.

Shivakumar has also expressed his readiness to shoulder the responsibility given by the party following the announcement of exit polls forecasting a fragmented outcome in the state Assembly polls.

Rumours in the political circle indicate that KTR has also realised that the BRS will not get a full majority. His party might end up getting 51 seats while the Congress might bag 56.

Will BJP Become A Kingmaker?
The BJP has relatively remained silent after the exit poll results are out. Although the chances of coming to power on its own look highly unrealistic for the saffron party, it can play the role of the kingmaker in case of a hung assembly if it manages to win at least five seats. Surveys have indicated that the BJP will win 10-14 per cent of votes, but how much of this will translate into seats can only be known after the counting of votes.

Undoubtedly, the BJP wants such a situation to emerge first to keep the Congress out of power and then to grow its base in Telangana where it had won four Lok Sabha seats in 2019.