Eight years ago, the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) made a promise to the people of Warangal that it would be developed as the ‘Dallas of India’. The ruling party pledged that Warangal would not only transform into a smart city but also grow to the scale of Hyderabad in a short period. As elections approach, citizens are seeking answers, anticipating the fulfilment of promises related to employment, a proper drainage system, and investments by industries.
Politically, this election is perceived as a tight triangular contest among the BRS, Congress, and BJP. However, on the ground, people are questioning the feasibility of the promises being made. While the electorate acknowledges that BRS’s welfare schemes such as Aasara pension, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, free power to agriculture, and Rs 1 per kg ration rice have reached them, they feel these initiatives have not been effectively implemented.
Shyamala, a homemaker and Jangaon native, raises questions about the promised 2BHK houses and other schemes.
“Where are the promised 2BHK houses, Dalit Bandhu, and Gruha Lakshmi schemes? Those connected to BRS ministers seem to be the beneficiaries, creating significant discrepancies,” she asks.
Sandeep, a voter who returned to Telangana after working in Vietnam, stresses on the unfulfilled promise of jobs by the BRS.
“It has been a decade since the BRS came to power, yet the youth are still awaiting proper job opportunities. I returned to Warangal a year ago due to family pressures and have been job hunting since. Many like me seek employment, applied for government jobs, but with no success. The promised jobs by the BRS—where are they? That’s why I believe the youth are turning to Congress in the hope of job opportunities,” he says.
When questioned about whether people see the promised development to convert Warangal into the ‘Dallas of India’, Kareem, a young cloth merchant, acknowledges that it is taking place but at a slow pace.
“There are a few promises they haven’t been fulfilled, which has angered people. Voters worry that if they vote again and the situation doesn’t change, they will feel cheated. Development has occurred, that cannot be denied. However, it could have been better implemented,” he states.
Regarding which party has an edge in Warangal, Kareem suggests, “It seems like Congress is doing better”.
“Look at the drains; the city gets flooded during rains. Is this what the BRS government proposed in the name of a new underground drainage system for Warangal?” questions Prathap Srinivas, another voter from Warangal East. He highlights that sewage water passes through open drains, causing overflows into homes during floods.
“Is this the Dallas they want to build?” he asks.
Warangal district comprises 12 Assembly constituencies: Station Ghanpur (SC), Palakurthi, Dornakal (ST), Jangaon, Warangal East, Waradhanapet (SC), Bhupalpalle, Mahabubabad (ST), Narsampet, Parkal, Warangal West, and Mulugu (ST).
On the other hand, the BJP could play a pivotal role as a potential disruptor in this election in the North Telangana region, of which Warangal is a part. Out of these 54 seats, the BRS dominated the 2018 polls by winning 47 seats. Although the Congress seems to have momentum in the region, some doubt whether it will translate into votes on polling day.
“It’s not the Congress or the BRS but the BJP that can bring a difference because we see a lot of political rhetoric but on the ground, we are yet to see the promised development. The BJP, on the other hand, is focused on making a better Telangana, so I think the party should be given a chance,” says Pramod V, a software engineer, who has travelled to his hometown Warangal to cast his vote during the November 30 assembly polls.