"No One Knows Telangana Like KCR," Says Daughter As Party Sweeps Polls

The ruling TRS marched ahead of rivals in Telangana, establishing a wide gap with closest rival Congress, as votes were counted on Tuesday.

The party of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao or KCR was heading for a landslide in India's newest state, trends indicated.

KCR's gamble of having the assembly dissolved eight months before schedule has worked. The state election was originally scheduled alongside the Lok Sabha polls next year.

KCR's daughter K Kavitha, a parliamentarian, said his hard work had paid off.

"We are seeing the response of the people. The hard work in four and a half years has paid off," said Ms Kavitha. "Nobody knows Telangana like KCR," she remarked.

To challenge the ruling party, the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu buried their historic feud and campaigned together.

The coalition was never a threat to KCR, said his daughter.

"This is only a battle showcased on paper. We are in touch with people on the grassroots and people are with KCR," said Ms Kavitha. "Mr Babu tried to hide his failures in Andhra Pradesh, he hijacked the mahagatbhandhan and jumped in to campaign in Telangana." She was referring to Mr Naidu's attempts to take on a larger role in bringing opposition parties together over the past few weeks.

She also predicted a national role for her father, with political parties hurtling towards the 2019 general election.

"We will go wider, we will go to national politics. Tomorrow we will certainly declare a national agenda and there is a need for a national alternative," Ms Kavitha said.

Asked whether that would mean her father focusing beyond the state, she said: "KCR will continue to be Chief Minister, but play a national role."