Telangana Assembly elections: Tough battle awaits KCR in Gajwel

Gajwel: Gajwel, the VIP Assembly segment in Siddipet district has everything that an average Telangana villager could be envious of — swanky roads, a modern shopping complex, all government offices housed in a large glossy building, and an education hub where the underprivileged could study from KG to PG on one campus free of cost. But there is also resentment against BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) here.

After spending hundreds of crores of rupees since he became CM in 2014, KCR turned the once-sleepy village of Gajwel into a bustling town. Since the beginning of his political career, Siddipet has been KCR’s bastion and he has been the MP from here multiple times since 2004. After the formation of Telangana, he moved to Gajwel to contest the 2014 polls. After an easy win in 2014 and 2018, now a tough electoral battle awaits KCR in Gajwel.

KCR’s former lieutenant BJP’s BC face, former minister Etela Rajender joining the fray has changed the entire matrix of the Gajwel polling. Multiple factors like resentment among oustees of Mallannasagar and Kondapochamma canal projects, and caste equations may upset KCR’s applecart. Interestingly, KCR this time is also contesting from another segment Kamareddy casting shadow on his “invincibility” factor.

Oustees upset

The Mallannasagar dam, built at an estimated cost Rs 9,800 crore, with a capacity to store around 50 TMC of water to irrigate close to 12 lakh acres of land in Telangana had led to a total displacement of at least 20 villages.

Though the oustees were given compensation of Rs 7 lakhs per acre besides 250 sq yards of land in a R & R colony built close to Gajwel town, they lost their livelihood. They are now seething with anger against KCR.

“What can we do with this money without any work in hand? All the money would dry up if we keep on spending on our daily expenses. KCR had promised alternative livelihood. But, he washed his hands by just giving us some money and 250 sq yards of land. But we lost our livelihood. Now, we just gather at this bench daily and either we chit chat or look at the plying vehicles. But how long does this go?” an irate Janardhan Reddy told DH.

Likewise many of his fellow residents of R&R colony say they want to teach KCR “a lesson”.

Around 20,079 acres of land was acquired for Mallannasagar project, rendering at least 20,000 people losing their agricultural lands where they were cultivating corn, cotton and paddy.

Similar is the case with at least 2,000 families who lost their agricultural lands for Konda Pochamma reservoir that can store 5 TMC of water. “If we elect KCR again he will eat us along with our bones,” an angry Gollapalli Bikshapathi told DH. Bikshapathi lost three acres of his land and is now residing in a R & R colony developed in Tuniki Bollaram.

Now they have a good colony with the best of the roads, but they don’t have any work. “During the land acquisition, the government assured a dairy farm unit in the colony and also at least two buffaloes to each house apart from the compensation of Rs 12 lakh per acre and 250 sq yards. Now, we neither got buffaloes, nor a dairy unit or work in hand,” Manne Devdas (53) told DH.

Mudiraj factor

KCR’s friend-turned-foe, former minister Etela Rajender, who represents Huzurabad in state Assembly is also contesting from Gajwel on a BJP ticket probably to settle some scores with his former mentor. With BJP and Rajender asserting the BC card, voters from Mudiraj community, which Rajender belongs to, have sizable numbers in Gajwel and they are polarising in favour of the BJP leader.

Mudiraj voters are polarised in a way they have never been before in favour of Rajender. And this is being seen as the reason KCR is also contesting from another seat Kamareddy as ‘Plan B’. Rajender has been frequenting Gajwel leaving no opportunity. He has been addressing roadshows, interacting with groups, party workers.