After sweeping assembly poll, TRS tightens grip on Adilabad

HYDERABAD: Despite having won this seat eight times since the late 1950s, the Congress is losing its hold on Adilabad Lok Sabha constituency which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs).


While the Telugu Desam Party, which won the seat six times is almost finished in Telangana at least for now, the TRS has been successful in winning the hearts of the voters, particularly tribals in this constituency.

The TRS which won this seat twice, in 2004 followed by 2014, is harping on welfare schemes of the KCR-government to win it for the second consecutive term. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has fielded Godam Nagesh from this seat reposing confidence in the sitting MP.

The Congress is highlighting the failures of the ruling TRS in Telangana to fulfill its promise of extending 10 per cent reservations to the Tribals and about the increasing atrocities against the STs in BJP regime at the national level. The grand old party has fielded Ramesh Rathod who had lost from Khanapur Assembly segment in this Parliamentary seat. Ramesh Rathod had won the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat in 2009 on a TDP ticket. He Rathod had joined Congress just before December-2018 Assembly polls.

The BJP is trying to strengthen the party base and emerge as a dark horse. The saffron party has fielded Soyam Bapu Rao, ex-MLA, who joined the BJP days before he was given the ticket.

“Since 2014 elections to the Lok Sabha, the TRS has been consolidating its base in Adilabad. After Nagesh defeated Congress candidate Naresh Jadhav by a majority of 1.71 lakh votes in 2014, the TRS has not looked back. The TRS was able to win the confidence of the people in this constituency and also won six of the total seven Assembly segments in this Lok Sabha seat in December-2018 elections. Adding to the TRS’ strength, the lone Congress MLA from Asifabad segment Atram Sakku too has joined the ruling party. We are working on increasing the majority beyond four to 5 lakh votes,” said a senior TRS leader.