BENGALURU/HYDERABAD: The Congress high command dispatched on Saturday four Karnataka ministers, including deputy CM DK Shivakumar, to Hyderabad to shield its MLAs from any possible poaching attempts as several exit polls suggested a tight race in Telangana, with the party holding a slender lead over the governing Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Results for the elections to the 119-member Telangana assembly are slated for declaration on Sunday, alongside the outcomes for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.Mizoram’s results will follow on Monday.
Apart from Shivakumar, recognised as the party’s crisis manager, his cabinet colleagues Zameer Ahmed Khan, B Nagendra, and NS Boseraju were instructed to reach Hyderabad. “We have information that BRS is trying to get in touch with our contestants, but we are confident of getting clear (mandate) and very good numbers,” Shivakumar said.
Boseraju expressed confidence that Congress would secure a clear majority, asserting there would be no need to seek support from any other party. “We will win at least 65 seats. We are going to Hyderabad not to keep an eye on our MLAs, but to look after post-result arrangements,” he said.
However, party sources said the high command is taking pre-emptive measures to safeguard its MLAs in anticipation of a split verdict. “We are confident of winning a clear majority. In case we don’t, then the possibility of BRS, BJP, and AIMIM coming together and trying to form a government cannot be ruled out. They may even try to poach our MLAs. So, we are trying to protect our MLAs,” a Congress functionary said.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is in full preparation for the crucial vote count. The process will be overseen by Shivakumar and three AICC observers: former Union ministers P Chidambaram, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Congress has alerted contestants to reach Hyderabad on Sunday. Shivakumar, along with all supervisors, will monitor the counting process and reportedly make preparations for organising “camps” if the numbers fall slightly below the magic mark of 60.
Congress has deputed 49 observers at counting centres, with sources revealing that AICC representatives are also attached to contestants. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the party would emerge victorious in four out of the five states where assembly elections were held.
Results for the elections to the 119-member Telangana assembly are slated for declaration on Sunday, alongside the outcomes for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.Mizoram’s results will follow on Monday.
Apart from Shivakumar, recognised as the party’s crisis manager, his cabinet colleagues Zameer Ahmed Khan, B Nagendra, and NS Boseraju were instructed to reach Hyderabad. “We have information that BRS is trying to get in touch with our contestants, but we are confident of getting clear (mandate) and very good numbers,” Shivakumar said.
Boseraju expressed confidence that Congress would secure a clear majority, asserting there would be no need to seek support from any other party. “We will win at least 65 seats. We are going to Hyderabad not to keep an eye on our MLAs, but to look after post-result arrangements,” he said.
However, party sources said the high command is taking pre-emptive measures to safeguard its MLAs in anticipation of a split verdict. “We are confident of winning a clear majority. In case we don’t, then the possibility of BRS, BJP, and AIMIM coming together and trying to form a government cannot be ruled out. They may even try to poach our MLAs. So, we are trying to protect our MLAs,” a Congress functionary said.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is in full preparation for the crucial vote count. The process will be overseen by Shivakumar and three AICC observers: former Union ministers P Chidambaram, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Congress has alerted contestants to reach Hyderabad on Sunday. Shivakumar, along with all supervisors, will monitor the counting process and reportedly make preparations for organising “camps” if the numbers fall slightly below the magic mark of 60.
Congress has deputed 49 observers at counting centres, with sources revealing that AICC representatives are also attached to contestants. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the party would emerge victorious in four out of the five states where assembly elections were held.