Lok Sabha elections 2019: A tough triangular battle awaits Secunderabad constituency

A close fight is, however, expected among the ‘holy trinity’ — the TRS, BJP and the Congress.
Two-time MP M Anjan Kumar Yadav (File Photo | EPS)
Two-time MP M Anjan Kumar Yadav (File Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD:  Once a Congress bastion wherein the lotus bloomed slowly but surely, the Secunderabad Parliamentary segment is among a handful of constituencies that the TRS party is hell-bent on conquering.

While the pink party has no intention of seizing the Hyderabad seat from their ally AIMIM, it is imperative for the TRS to win the State capital’s precious segment this time, primarily because it has never done so before. A close fight is, however, expected among the ‘holy trinity’ — the TRS, BJP and the Congress.

While the Congress party had yet again fielded two-time MP M Anjan Kumar Yadav, who lost to BJP’s Bandaru Dattatreya in the 2014 elections, the saffron party has pinned its hopes on three-time MLA in Amberpet and 54-year-old G Kishan Reddy, forgoing an ageing Dattatreya. Meanwhile, the TRS has field a young and relatively lesser-known Talasani Sai Kiran Yadav against the two political bigwigs. Sai Kiran is the son of TRS minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav.

The Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency comprises Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills, Sanathnagar, Nampally, and Secunderabad Assembly segments. With a population that is culturally diverse, Secunderabad is home to Marwaris, Tamils, Malayalis, Bengalis, Sindhis, Punjabis, Parsis, Anglo-Indians, Jains and other groups, and has a considerable presence of backward communities. 

Know your candidates

BJP’s G Kishan Reddy, displaying a ‘clean political image’ as his poll plank, has the support of sitting MP Bandaru Dattatreya, who has held the seat four times previously. It was Dattatreya who captured the segment for the first time from the Congress in 1991.

After a loss in 1996, he won the seat again in 1998 and 1999. Anjan Kumar Yadav held the seat between 2004 and 2014. Dattatreya once again reclaimed Secunderabad for the saffron party in 2014.

For 32-year-old Sai Kiran, it is the ‘TRS wave’ across Telangana that will see him through. He is banking on the pink party’s emergence as the main player here after winning six of seven Assembly seats in the 2018 polls. On the other hand, Congress party nominee Anjan Kumar Yadav claims that the BJP and TRS party are in secret alliance with each other. “The Congress is likely to win the constituency as the BJP has failed its people,” said Congress spokesperson Dr Dasoju Sravan. 

Saffron not so popular anymore? 

All is not well for the BJP which appears to be facing anti-incumbency to some extent. A 58-year-old tailor in Sanathnagar wondered if poverty, unemployment and corruption have come down as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“There are new issues coming up every week and everything seems like diversionary tactic to drive our attention from existing issues. Is they are not offering us solutions, then why should we vote for the BJP? What has Bandaru Dattatreya as an MP done for Secunderabad?” asked the tailor, who wished to remain anonymous.

"TRS has proven its worth over the last five years in Telangana. It is the duty of people here to strengthen KCR and the TRS party at the Centre," said one of the customers of the tailor.

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