K Chandrashekar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi recorded its biggest ever electoral success in 2018. It swept the state by bagging 88 of the 119 assembly seats, 19 higher than its tally in the last assembly elections in 2014. The TRS also recorded a steep surge in its vote share from 34.3 per cent four years ago to 46.9 per cent in 2018. Speaking to The Financial Express Online, TRS spokesperson and former Minorities Commission Chairman Abid Rasool Khan described the year as “remarkable”.

No low for TRS in 2018

“There was no low for TRS. The only moment that can be called as low was when the Congress entered into an alliance with TDP to defeat KCR. However, the people did not believe in their false narrative. It was an unethical alliance,” Rasool Khan said referring to the alliance — Prajakutami — which was forged by the Congress, TDP, Telangana Jana Samithi and Communist Party of India to take on the TRS. However, the alliance was defeated badly with TDP winning 2 and Congress just 19 of 119 seats.

TRS Did Wonders

Hailing the mandate given by the people, Khan said: “This year would be remembered when people of Telangana voted wisely and gave a second chance to a party that would do wonders in the times to come.” He further said that the KCR government focussed on uninterrupted governance, water, affordable housing to common people, pensions to senior citizens, education to minorities, jobs to youths, and agriculture assistance to farmers.

“We will continue to do the same with a focus on poor and marginal people in the state,” Khan said.

Rythu Bandhu scheme

This year in May, Telangana government under KCR launched a welfare program Rythu Bandhu for farmers. Under the programme, the farmers are given a minimum fixed amount — Rs 4000 per acre per season — to support their investments for two crops a year. Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme has been praised by various economists who think that the direct cash subsidy is an effective way to help needy farmers.

A group of economists including former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in a report released earlier this month hailed Rythu Bandhu scheme and said that other governments should also move to a fixed cash subsidy to reduce farmers’ distress as demonstrated successfully by the Rythu Bandhu. Political analysts believe that KCR’s two welfare programmes — Rythu Bandhu and Housing scheme — helped him come back to power for the second consecutive term.

What’s ahead for TRS?

After coming back to power after a landslide win, TRS chief KCR is now looking to play a bigger role in national politics. He has been meeting opposition leaders to forge a Third Front to keep Congress and BJP out of power in 2019. “It’s a herculean task, but we are confident that we will put up a good fight in the next Lok Sabha elections,” Khan said.

The Telangana chief minister recently met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The TRS is hoping that as the talks progress, many more regional parties will join the proposed federal front.