Hyderabad, May 17: After the voting for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, all three major parties have made claims of winning majority seats.
While Muslim voters have predominantly voted for Congress party, following an appeal by several Muslim organisations, the talk in political circles about transfer of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) votes to BJP has sparked apprehensions of the saffron party bagging more seats than it won in 2019.
In 10 out of 17 constituencies, Congress and BJP were locked in a direct fight. The BRS is believed to have given tough fight in three constituencies.
Leaders of Congress party alleged that BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) transferred party’s votes in favour of BJP for release of his daughter K. Kavitha, who is in judicial custody in Delhi liquor policy scam case.
In constituencies, where BRS was at third place, its cadres allegedly ensured transfer of votes to BJP.
Ever since the Congress party came to power in the state five months ago, it has been luring BRS leaders to join its camp. Four MPs, three MLAs of BRS and several other key leaders have already defected to BRS. There was apprehension among BRS circles that if Congress bags a majority of Lok Sabha seats, it may lose more leaders to the ruling party.
Senior Congress leader K. Mahender Reddy claimed that BRS leaders in Karimnagar constituency urged people to vote for BJP candidate Bandi Sanjay Kumar. He also claimed he has evidence to prove this allegation.
The Congress leaders have made similar claims about other constituencies in the state. They have been accusing BRS of secret understanding with the BJP. They mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that KCR had approached him for support to make his son K.T. Rama Rao chief minister.
BRS, however, has dismissed the allegations. It has accused Congress of deliberately fielding weak candidates to help BJP. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao argues that BJP is strong in states where Congress is the main opponent and in states where regional parties are strong, BJP is facing tough competition.
Muslims in constituencies like Secunderabad, Chevella, Malkajgiri, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Mahabubnagar and Adilabad predominantly voted for Congress, following an appeal from a majority of Muslim organizations.
Even All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had extended its support to Congress. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had appealed to voters in Hyderabad to vote in his favour and urged voters in other constituencies to support Congress.
AIMIM, which was an ally of BRS in Assembly elections, told the voters that it is important to defeat BJP and Narendra Modi in these elections and hence they should back the Congress party.
Muslim organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Telangana also worked on the ground to increase voter awareness for higher turnout.
While the towns and rural areas recorded good voting percentage, the turnout was low in Hyderabad and adjoining constituencies of Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Chevella.
Hyderabad constituency saw lowest polling in the state at 48.48 percent while the overall voter turnout in all 17 constituencies was 65.67 percent.
The overall polling is higher than the 2019 Lok Sabha polling figure of 62.11 percent but lower than the turnout of 71.34 percent recorded during the Assembly elections held in November 2023.
Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest turnout of 76.78 percent. In Secunderabad, the turnout was 49.04%. Malkajgiri and Chevella recorded 50.78% and 56.4% polling respectively.
