Hyderabad, Nov 26: The vibrant campaign trail for the Telangana Assembly elections drew to a close on Tuesday evening, with top leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Congress, and the BJP making final appeals to voters through rallies and road shows across the state. Various campaign activities, including motorcycle rallies, padyatras, street corner meetings, public gatherings, and door-to-door canvassing, continued until the evening as political contenders made their ultimate efforts to sway voters. The BRS, eyeing a third consecutive term after securing 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly in the 2018 elections, faces strong opposition from both the Congress and the BJP, each confident in its bid for power. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and state Congress chief Revanth Reddy concluded the Congress campaign with a road show in Malkajgiri constituency in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, BRS President and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao addressed the last election rally in Gajwel constituency, where he is seeking re-election. A total of 2,290 candidates are in the fray for 119 seats, with over 3.26 crore eligible voters set to cast their ballots on Thursday.
As the clock struck 5 p.m., the silent period began, ushering in various restrictions to allow voters time for reflection. The intense campaign featured no-holds-barred exchanges among leaders from the major political players—BRS, Congress, BJP—and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a key player in Hyderabad.
While the BRS highlighted its performance over the last two terms, Congress aimed to entice voters with six guarantees, drawing inspiration from its recent success in neighboring Karnataka. The BJP pitched for a double-engine government to accelerate development, promising a Chief Minister from the backward classes.
The campaign also witnessed accusations and counter-accusations, with BRS cautioning against a Congress government undoing progress, while Congress accused BRS, BJP, and AIMIM of collusion. Rahul Gandhi led the Congress campaign with 23 public meetings, Priyanka Gandhi addressed 26 rallies, and Revanth Reddy held 55 public meetings.
The BRS is contesting all 119 seats independently, while Congress left one seat for the Communist Party of India (CPI). The BJP fielded candidates in 111 constituencies, reserving eight for its ally Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan. AIMIM contested nine constituencies in Hyderabad, supporting BRS in the rest of the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President J. P. Nadda, along with other leaders, addressed rallies for the BJP. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and BSP leader Mayawati also led their respective party’s campaigns. Counting of votes is scheduled for December 3.
