Thammineni Veerabhadram’s Solo Battle for CPM in Paleru, Khammam

In Kusumanji village, women draped in red sarees and men in red T-shirts gathered eagerly to hear Thammineni Veerabhadram’s address from atop a vehicle adorned with red flags. Veerabhadram, the former MP and current CPM candidate in Paleru, a constituency in the Khammam Lok Sabha segment, addressed the enthusiastic crowd.

Historically, Khammam district in Telangana was a stronghold for the CPM, securing victories in seven out of the ten Assembly constituencies. However, as the November 30 election approaches, the CPM finds itself standing alone, having failed to reach a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress. The party has nominated candidates in 19 constituencies, particularly in Khammam and Nalgonda districts, where the Congress holds sway.

Despite the electoral landscape, the Congress appears unperturbed by the CPM candidates, confident that the left-wing party will not significantly impact its vote share. In the 2018 elections, despite the CPM’s collaboration with other parties under the Bahujan Left Front, the Congress emerged victorious in eight constituencies, leaving the CPM with vote counts ranging from 5,000 to 20,000.

Paleru, where Veerabhadram seeks a mandate, reflects the challenges faced by the CPM. In 2018, the party secured 6,769 votes, but fell short as the Congress clinched victory with a margin of 7,669 votes.

The CPM’s hope for an alliance with the BRS was dashed when Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao reneged on his promise. Despite earlier indications of collaboration, the BRS announced candidates for all seats. Unsuccessful talks with the Congress led the CPM to go it alone in 19 seats.

Veerabhadram, addressing the media, highlighted the party’s focus on securing land title deeds for tribespeople. Responding to queries about party secretaries typically avoiding electoral contests, Veerabhadram explained, “This is my third term as the state secretary, and I have one more year in the post. The party decided that I should contest,” as he boarded the campaign vehicle with a smile.