Youth and students, employees, farmers and Muslim minorities constituted the major vote bank for TRS in coming to power in 2014.
However, with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao failing to meet the aspirations of these sections in the past four years, this vote bank is eroding fast and can adversely impact the prospects of TRS in ensuing Assembly elections.
In the initial days, the TRS government earned a reputation for being ‘employee-friendly’ but government employees slowly started distancing themselves from the Party after KCR failed to implement the recommendations of the new Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and extend Interim Benefit (IR) till new PRC is implemented.
He held meetings with various Unions in May and promised IR from June 2, 2018 which was later postponed to Aug 15 and then to Dasara.
And then, his sudden decision to dissolve the Assembly on Sep 6 before Dasara without giving IR has led to severe resentment among employees who are now reportedly rallying for Mahakutami.
Similarly, youth and students who played a key role in Telangana Statehood agitation moved away from TRS after KCR failed to fulfill his promise of one lakh government jobs.
Muslim minorities supported TRS as KCR had promised 12 per cent reservations in education and jobs against the existing 4 per cent. Even this remains unfulfilled.
On Thursday, during an election rally in Kagaznagar, KCR abused a Muslim man who questioned him on the 12 percent quota. This has further dented the Muslim vote bank of TRS.
The video which went viral on social media has put KCR in an uncomfortable position with all sections of society criticising his high-handedness.
As for the tenant farmers, lakhs of them are miffed at not being included in the Rythu Bandhu scheme which is only for land owners and not the cultivators.
With only a week to go for the election, will all these factors turn out to be KCR’s Waterloo or will he emerge from the battle smiling?