Can KCR Pull Off A Hat-Trick?

The Telangana Strongman Battles Anti-incumbency And A Resurgent Congress In The Quest For A Third Consecutive Term

- RAJ CHENGAPPA and AMARNATH K. MENON

Kamareddy, a busy poultry hub 117 km from HyderaK bad and the district headquarters, is a sea of pink on November 9. Fivestorey-tall cutouts of the Telangana chief minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao, better known by his acronym KCR, line the streets. As also the party symbola car in the shape of the erstwhile Ambassador of Hindustan Motors. Everything is in bright pink, the colour of the party rechristened the Bharat Rashtra Samithi last year, to burnish its national credentials. Pink symbolises universal peace and love, and also evokes comfort, compassion and warmth-reasons KCR chose that colour for BRS.

Even the band at the venue of the public meeting is dressed in shades of pink. It is belting out party songs in praise of KCR, most of which end with a rousing call of "Jai, Jai, Telangana". Another popular rhyme goes-"Ek Do Teen Baar, Desh Ka Neta KCR" (Once, twice, third time, the leader of the nation is KCR). It well captures the aspirations of a man who first led the agitation for the state and since 2014 has been guiding its destiny. Now, he is seeking a third successive term as chief minister when Telangana goes to the polls on November 30.

In an unusual move, the 69-year-old KCR chose Kamareddy as an additional seat to contest from. He has represented the Gajwel constituency in neighbouring Siddipet district in the 2014 and 2018 assembly elections. The Opposition sees it as a sign of KCR's insecurity. Opinion polls, too, are reflecting anti-incumbency against him, which may see his party secure far less seats than the 88 out of 119 seats it won in 2018.