Banswada bypoll defeat makes Congress happy

HYDERABAD: As expected, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) candidate Pocharam Srinivas Reddy won the Banswada byelection on Monday by a margin of 49,889 votes, defeating the Congress nominee Srinivasa Goud. While the winner gloated that the returns were proof of the Telangana sentiment, Congress leaders were happy that their defeat was merely spectacular not astounding. In a bypoll in which 77.62 per cent of the 1.22 lakh voters voted, the Congress candidate Goud pulled 33,356 votes, thereby managing to retain his deposit.The reason for the Congress’ joy in this figure was that it was achieved without any canvassing. Analysts, however, pointed out that Goud’s number was boosted by the absence of the TDP in the field. Srinivas Reddy’s margin was an improvement over his performance in 2009 when, as a TDP candidate, he won by 26,103 votes. The TRS was absent in the fray then, being in alliance with the TDP. The Congress loser in 2009, Bajireddy Goverdhan polled 43,754 votes.So the loss of only 10,000 votes in the midst of the Telangana Sakala Janula Samme is making the Congress’ euphoric. Another factor that may have added to the Congress’ tally is the possibility that the 20,000 votes of coastal Andhra settlers in Banswada may have gone to its candidate. The settlers are conventionally TDP voters. As the TDP did not contest this bypoll, they are surmised to have preferred the Congress this time. One question being asked is whether the Banswada result would be borne out in other constituencies in Telangana where settlers are substantial in number. Analysts of the Banswada numbers see a round robin on votes in this election: while some of the Congress votes went to the TRS, the traditional TDP vote went to the Congress. “Many Congress voters preferred the TRS because they are vexed with the delay in delivering a separate state. The TDP voters simply had no choice but to vote for the Congress,” said a senior political leader. TRS leaders carped that the larger-than-expected Congress votes were proof that the ruling and main opposition parties in the state are hand in glove to thwart Telangana. TRS leader K T Rama Rao said it was nothing but match-fixing. TRS leaders had not expected the Congress to get 33,356 votes, especially after TRS chieftain K Chandrasekhar Rao, his son and daughter had conducted a whirlwind campaign.