TRS has edge in three-way tie in Karimnagar

A three-way fight is on the cards for the northern Telangana constituency of Karimnagar that stayed through and through with Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader won the elections here in 2004, 2006 and 2008, enjoying widespread popularity despite forcing elections on the constituency to prove that the Telangana issue was alive.

However, Karimnagar slipped from TRS’ stranglehold in 2009 when its candidate Vinod Kumar lost to Congress nominee and NSUI leader Ponnam Prabhakar, who broke the 13 year jinx for Congress.

Out of the total 9,89,301  votes, Ponnam polled 3,17,927, while Vinod Kumar got 2,67,684, V Rajender of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP)secured 1,75,582 and Ch Janga Reddy of BJP polled 1,22,337 votes.  After the updated census, Karimnagar now has 14, 96,211 voters, 7, 50,230 of whom are men and 7, 45,981 women.  The 20 per cent Muslim voters residing in Karimnagar town area, however, hold the key to success here.

Karimnagar has a deeper connection with KCR. The TRS leader launched his party here and was arrested here while on his way to Siddipet to sit for fast unto death in 2009 that resulted in the then home minister P Chidambaram announcing the carving of Telangana.

“There is also sympathy for Vinod Kumar who lost to Ponnam Prabhakar in 2009, which will be an added advantage (for TRS),” said Gangula Kamalakar, the TRS candidate from Karimnagar Assembly segment, who recently joined the regional outfit from the TDP.

Underscoring the importance of Karimnagar in his effort to capture power in the new state, KCR kick-started his campaign from the SRR College grounds here, from where he launched his party a decade ago.

Sonia Gandhi campaign

The town is also the starting point for Congress, as its president Sonia Gandhi will be at Dr Ambedkar grounds to launch its campaign. She revealed her intention to carve out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh at the same venue a few years ago.
Meanwhile, the BJP has announced that its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will address a rally here on April 24, in which his NDA allies Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP and actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan of the Jana Sena will share the stage with him.
 
Former union minister of state for home Ch Vidyasagar Rao is on the fray with TDP’s backing.