‘Sentiment’ or cash flow?

admin | March 22, 2012 | 0 Comments

Hyderabad, March 22 (Crime News): Regional sentiment in the by-polls was said to have proved (slightly) disastrous for the ruling party and as much to the main opposition led by the twice Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu, who is adept for employing his strategies. What had happened to his charisma as his party also received a severe beating. Further what is in store ahead of another set of bye-elections in 17 more assembly segments, which is imminent. Earlier 16 congress rebels plus one PRP rebel MLA Shobha Nagireddy, who were sailing with the Kadapa MP and YSRC leader Y.S.Jaganmohan Reddy, were disqualified by the speaker N.Manohar. Political analysts examined whether the sentiment did work, if so why it not worked earlier – during 2004 and later in 2009 general elections. But much importance/significance has been attached to the sentiment linked mandate in the four Telangana districts.
If the same sentimental voting repeats (for electing 18 more shortly) what shall be the fate of the ruling and the main opposition party. The recent TRS’ sweep/win in the Telangana districts in all respects raised many an eyebrow. Was it telling and what went wrong in 2004 and 2009 where TRS did not make much headway. As the results testify was there no sentiment then.
The fact that Rs 9 crore was seized in all the seven assembly constituencies, as informed by the chief electoral officer Bhanwar Lal officially raised doubts and testified that Rs 200 crore was clandestinely distributed much before the bye-elections took place in all the seven assembly constituencies. Besides the CEO also reported that several persons were arrested and many vehicles were seized for illegal operations in the said assembly segments. Rumour mill is again at work giving room for scope for illegal distribution of cash in the constituencies which would elect another batch of party nominees in the next round of bye-elections.
Now aspersions have been cast on how far the sentiment had worked in the Telangana districts for success of the TRS’ candidates in the four Telangana districts. way back in 2004, the congress’ manifesto (which clearly specified that the party stood for separate Telangana State) and the truck with the TRS entered into by Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy did not cut much ice in the region as the Telangana voters had ignored the TRS’ nominees and rather preferred to vote for congress party and TDP as well to a great extent.
In 2004 general elections the TRS bagged only 27 seats while its ally congress party won 192 seats and the TDP made its presence felt in about 50 assembly constituencies. Interestingly 10 TRS legislators after elections defected to the congress party under Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy. Still what remained in TRS shared power with YSR government.
Later, in 2009, congress scrapped through the elections winning 158 seats where as the main opposition TDP bagged 105 seats. The new PRP party under Megstar Chiranjeevi took away 18 seats. The TRS was limited to single digits or slightly more. Has the ‘sentiment’ not worked or people were fed up with TRS as it was confined to a few constituencies. Was there no sentiment at all is now debatable.