Polls on way, ticket aspirants on toes

Hyderabad: Results of electoral surveys being conducted by political parties have been forcing MLAs and ticket aspirants to change their strategies, to find new ways to attract voters and to improve their electoral prospects.

The surveys have been indicating defeat for some MLAs and victory for some others. Those who have been receiving negative information are understood to be redrawing their strategies and MLAs who are sure of their victories have been reportedly strengthening their positions.

Results of two recent surveys of held by main Opposition Congress and ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) have been making rounds in the political circles. The results have shown the fate of several MLAs of the ruling and Opposition parties. A survey being conducted by the Congress has predicted that it would win as many as 45 seats if the elections to the Assembly are held right now. The survey has given the details of the Assembly constituencies where Congress could win.

Similarly, the ruling party has also conducted a survey on the popularity of the party and its MLAs. According to sources, the survey has found that some of the MLAs are facing tough time in their respective constituencies. The Chief Minister has alerted these MLAs and warned them to improve their performance, according to sources.

As the elections are 16 months away, political parties in the State seem to be busy in conducting surveys on their electoral prospects. The Congress has conducted two surveys and the TRS has conducted four rounds of surveys so far. Speaking to The Hans India, psephology expert K Krishna Prasad said a few political parties from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had approached them to conduct political surveys. He said usually political parties conducted midterm surveys on their popularity levels.

In Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam and YSR Congress Party have been conducting surveys to assess their political strength whereas in Telangana, the Congress and the TRS have been asking psephology organisations to conduct surveys. He said political parties wanted a serious analysis of voters’ opinions. Founder of AARAA Political Strategies Shaik Mastan told The Hans India that they had been conducting political surveys for the parties and for the leaders since 2009.

He said political parties wanted to know their popularity in terms of party and in terms of candidates. Mastan said the political organisations wanted a detailed analysis of the mindset of voters at constituency and mandal level. Even opinions of people according to their age, gender, occupation and region would be taken in the surveys. He informed that they had been conducting surveys in about 30 constituencies in two Telugu States every month and assessing the behavior of voters. The opinions of voters would be sorted out as per the directions of the parties.

As many as 15 political survey organisations are engaged in surveys in Hyderabad alone. Recently, the survey staff have been connected with GPS and their movements are being observed by the heads of organisations for a proper survey. As the results of these surveys have been indicating the popularity of parties, MLAs and ticket aspirants have been redrawing their strategies, according to analysts. MLAs who have received negative information and have been losing hopes on getting re-nominated from the same constituency from the present party are planning to shift loyalties, it is learnt.

Some MLAs and ticket aspirants are trying to change their constituencies and find out a better segment for them. They have been assessing their strength on the basis of their community and other factors, said our sources.