Battlelines drawn: T'gana parties gear up for showdown as poll schedule announced

As the battlelines are drawn with the announcement of the poll schedule, political parties in Telangana are gearing up for a long haul campaign. While the ruling TRS has been ahead of other parties on announcing the candidates, Congress list is expected after October 15 and BJP may release its first list either on October 15 or 16. Congress is also expected to launch a statewide bus yatra around October 15.

Missing from action owing to ill health for almost 20 days, BRS supremo and chief minister K Chandrsekhar Rao is expected to come out of the self imposed 'exile' on October 15 . He will hold a meeting with party candidates at Telangana Bhavan on October 15 where he will handover the B Forms.

He will also release the party manifesto on the same day. KCR will also address a mammoth public meeting in Husnabad assembly constituency at 4 pm on the same day kickstarting the poll season's marathon of meetings.

Later on KCR will embark on visits to districts and address meetings. He will attend a public meeting in Jangaon and Bhongir assembly segments on October 16.

He will participate in the public meeting organized in Siddipet and Sircilla on October 17.

On October 18 , the Chief Minister will participate in public meetings in Jadcharla and Medchal Constituencies.

The BRS Chief will file nominations in two assembly constituencies - Gajwel and Kamareddy on November 9.

Before filing nominations, he will visit Konayapalli Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Siddipet Constituency and perform a special puja. Later, the CM will file his first nomination in Gajwel. The BRS chief will file a second nomination at Kamareddy at 2 pm.

After filling nomination, CM KCR will participate in the Kamareddy public meeting at 3 pm.

Apart from meetings by KCR, his other family members, son industries minister KT Rama Rao, nephew and irrigation minister T Harish Rao are also getting ready to tour the state.

Sources in the Congress party indicated that the first list of the candidates will be out after the launch of a bus yatra. While consensus has been reached in the majority of seats the central leadership is unable to decide on at least 20 seats.

A statewide bus yatra in which all the leaders of the party will participate is being planned to showcase unity among the leaders. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is expected to flag off the bus yatra and is likely to tour in the bus for two days. During the yatra national leaders like Congress president Mallikharjuna Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are also expected to participate in the tour two days each.

BJP is also expected to announce the candidates in two lists. First list is expected to be released on either Oct 15 or 16. “We are ready to face the polls whenever they are held. Candidates' selection have been almost finalised in 50 percent of the total seats. Soon we will release the list,” said BJP state president and union minister, G Kishan Reddy.

BJP has also planned public meetings across Telangana by national leaders including prime minister, Narendra Modi, union ministers, Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh in the coming days. Union home minister Amit Shah will be in Telangana on Tuesday. Modi had already addressed two meetings in Telangana in the last few days.