Possible alliances for 2009
The Congress is all set to go it alone, so is the BJP. Opposition parties have formed fronts. The Chandrabadu Naidu-led TDP has roped in Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), CPI and CPM, but the newly-formed Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) is yet to join in.

Key issues
Separate Telangana state. Corruption in the YSR government and the way individuals and groups close to the powers that be took control of thousands of acres of land in the name of setting up projects are the other key issues for the opposition. The Congress is banking on welfare programmes and development. Telangana has about 10 districts with about 4-crore population and 17 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.

Sops in recent months
Pension scheme for aged women. Indiramma (a mass housing scheme), Rajiv Arogyasri (free healthcare), Jalayagnam (irrigation scheme), Rs2-a-kg rice, free power to farmers and scholarship for the backward classes. Recently, the government announced a recruitment drive to fill up vacancies in various departments to woo educated youth in the districts.

Analysis
The going is not easy for the Congress this time. During the 2004 polls, Chandrababu Naidu’s government was under fire due to a four-year drought. It was also the time when the Telangana demand was at its peak. The Congress had aligned with the TRS and also promised free power, which was all through neglected by Naidu. In addition, the Congress-TRS alliance was in favour of holding talks with Maoists. The Congress had also promised a massive irrigation programme with an outlay of Rs1 lakh crore.

This changed in the last five years. Telangana is still elusive and the Pranab Mukherjee committee set up to achieve a political consensus on the issue is yet to submit its report. Similarly, the talks with Maoists failed and the government launched a drive to gun down every single top leader of their party. Free power is available but not as required by the farmer. Irrigation projects are still in various stages of completion, though the government claims to have spent most of the budgeted allocations.

Advantage
Different parties have an edge in different pockets. Naidu is seen as an anti-Telangana politician for the TDP’s sustained opposition to the formation of a separate state out of Andhra. However, by tying up with the TRS and promising that the TDP would not oppose the formation of Telangana if the Centre makes the proposal, he has found a way to cut into the Telangana vote bank. Chiranjeevi has a natural advantage in the Andhra region because of his well-organised fan clubs, which also make sure his movies are a success. The Congress has advantage in the Rayalaseema region with many TDP leaders who were otherwise creating hurdles for the ruling party getting killed in factional fights or daylight murders.

KV Ramana/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication