My Crazy Campaign Trail With 'Tiger' Raja Singh — Ground Report From Goshamahal

'Tiger' Raja Singh is a difficult man to get a hold of — especially if you are from the media. All the criticism he receives has made him suspicious of the press.

He believes he is often misrepresented and dragged into controversy.

To spend a day along with his campaign team, I contacted my friends in Hyderabad, who in turn reached out to local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Goshamahal's Dhoolpet, an area once notorious for ganja, desi daaru, you name it.

When they reached out to Singh on behalf of Swarajya, he was initially hesitant to speak to us or allow us to join his campaign trail.

Later, he supposedly told my source that he would be more willing if this were done on camera, as he could then 'see' what is being said about him.

"Magazine people can write anything and get away with it. How will we know what they will write? Especially since you tell me that ladka is from Dilli?" Singh is said to have told my source.

After tormenting his team with phone calls and requests, I was finally given the nod to tag along with his team.

Once I got there, I was kept on hold for nearly two days. Impatient, I went around covering rallies and writing whatever else I could in the meantime.

Towards the third day, I was irritable.

However, to his team's credit, every time I called them, they answered promptly. Or at least they would call me back within a few minutes.

"Anna is busy filing his nomination."

"Bhaiya is preparing for Modiji's visit to Bhagyanagar."

They were referring to the massive rally in Hyderabad's Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium, addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

To be frank, at the time it looked like excuses to me, but I could see that the team was responsive. I realised I had to be patient, at least give it one last shot before deciding to pack up.

Finally, on the morning of eighth, I received a phone call from one of Singh's associates, inviting me over to Esamiya Bazar — a locality in Goshamahal assembly constituency.

In the past, I have attended many political rallies and campaigns by candidates from across the spectrum, but the reception that I saw Raja Singh receive in Goshamahal was different.

On first sight, young women run up to their mothers and shout "Raja bhaiya aaya hain. Jaldi aao."

Here then, is how I spent the rest of the day with 'Tiger' Raja Singh.

'Singh Is King'

10.15 AM, Esamiya Bazar:

In the narrow bylanes of Koti, a neighbourhood in Goshamahal constituency, local BJP karyakartas are preparing for 'bhaiya' to arrive.

Behind a Fortuner, there is another vehicle that is veiled with 'Vote for Raja Singh' banners on all sides. On top, loudspeakers are blaring rhythmic slogans in support of the candidate.

"Akele rashtrawadi neta hain jo aap aur aatankwadi ke beech ek sainik banke khada hain (The only nationalist soldier standing between you and terror elements)."

"Hyderabad ni Bhagyanagar ga maarichina vadu (Man who changed Hyderabad's name to Bhagyanagar)."

Normally, canvassing begins early in the morning.

In Singh's case, he is the sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), so he has to attend to people's issues through forums colloquially known as durbars.

Constituents bring all sorts of issues to a politician — from requests to fix potholes and address faulty sewerage problems to demands for money and personal presence at weddings and betrothals.

Many are still ignorant of the division of responsibilities between a corporator, MLA, and Member of Parliament (MP). But that doesn't matter to a political leader, since he or she cannot turn away a person who is looking towards them for solutions to their problems.

On 8 November, it was the Gunfoundry division of Goshamahal.

Hyderabad's areas have interesting names, coming from its history of being an unwilling host to many empires, including the Nizams, who ruled the region for a long time.

For instance, A C Guards is a locality in the city that was named after African Cavalry Guards — troops from Africa who were stationed in Hyderabad since the time of the sixth Nizam, Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan.

Similarly, Gunfoundry is derived from the name of a factory that was one among the many cannon and cannonball factories set up by a French general, Michel Raymond, in service of Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan, the second Nizam of Hyderabad.

"Campaigning for assembly polls can be both easy and tough at the same time. Easy, because the size of the constituency is not as big compared to Lok Sabha constituencies; tough, because I am fighting from a city that has only one sitting BJP MLA and the party is still in its infancy," Singh says, after I greet him with my first question.

We gathered at Esamiya Bazar and made the rounds for a couple of hours. As soon as I arrived on the scene, Singh's associates told me to wear a pagdi — saffron turban.

Along with Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Hyderabad chief Nitin Nandkar accompanied me throughout the day.

Soon, upon Singh's arrival, party workers congregated to begin canvassing in the area.

"Goshamahal Ka King, Bhaiya Raja Singh," the loudspeaker in the background yelled, as supporters went door to door seeking votes for Singh.

Unlike any other leader I had witnessed before, Singh was given a hero-like welcome on almost every street he walked into.

They see Singh as a protector, more than anything else.

As he entered narrow alleys, he was welcomed with aarti thalis. Flower petals were showered from balconies, and it was common to hear young women scream "Raja bhaiya aaya hain, jaldi aao."

Managing the movement of the canvassing party in a constituency like Goshamahal is not an easy task for the team. They need to be wary of traffic build-up. People find it unpleasant and rather intrusive when they are caused a delay by candidates out on campaigns.

At 11.06 am, we arrive at Moti Market, where Singh is welcomed by locals. Most of the residents here own businesses, and the area is said to have a largely north-Indian voter base.

This community came together over the last few decades, with traders from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh settling in the area.

Singh is accompanied by a few gunmen, who keep an eye on the crowd movement. They sport safari suits and carry submachine guns.

A chuckle went around before the troupe moved ahead.

"He will win with a 50,000 majority," one of his supporters whispered in my ear.

"Do the Muslims vote for him?" I asked one of his supporters.

"Yes, but it is mostly the Gujarati Muslims from the area who vote for him. There are many local Muslims who vote for him, too, especially the educated-class, but the others mostly vote for BRS or the Congress," he said.

An hour or so later, we arrived at Begum Bazar, a market area where traders of different faiths and communities live. Here, at a cursory glance, one comes across many plastic goods along with kirana (grocery) stores.

Raja Singh and his politics

Thakur Raja Singh, the lone BJP MLA from Hyderabad, is not new to controversy.

A few months ago, he was suspended by the BJP for controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

Just weeks ago, his suspension was revoked.

Dhoolpet, a neighbourhood in Goshamahal, is where Singh spent most of his time early in life, including his childhood and youth.

From a young age, his association with Hindu organisations, specifically Hindu Vahini, shaped his ideology.

He is from the Lodh community. Goshamahal has a sizable migrant Hindu population, especially from states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

According to Raka Sudhakar Rao, a senior journalist from Telangana, "In Hyderabad alone, their [Lodh] presence can be traced back to three or four centuries ago," Rao says.

In Dhoolpet, there are about 10,000 idol-makers. Residents of Hyderabad say that the majority of the Ganesha idols are made in Dhoolpet.

Singh's affidavit mentions that his closest family members are involved in idol-making. Idol-makers in the area say they rely on legislators like Singh to represent their cause in the assembly.

In fact, one of the biggest Durga idols was produced in the area recently.

Raja's Politics

According to Rao, Singh started gaining attention because of his active involvement in fighting against forced conversions, illegal slaughter of cattle, and 'love jihad'.

This brand of politics especially gained traction in communally sensitive areas of Dhoolpet and Goshamahal.

According to Rao, Singh's image has been cultivated over a period of 10-15 years. During this time, he has addressed Hindu gatherings and political rallies across India, including in states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

"When I was translating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech a few years ago in Telangana, I was also the one calling upon dignitaries to address the gathering.

"The loudest cheer from the crowd came when I invited Raja Singh to the dais to speak to the audience. I think, on that occasion, many of us understood how popular he is," says Rao.

Singh happens to be the only MLA from the Lodh community in southern India. As a result, the migrant population feels safe with him around, people in Hyderabad say.

This is one of the reasons why he has an unshakable vote bank of around 30,000 or more voters from the majority community in Goshamahal.

Singh began his career in politics as a municipal councillor from Mangalhat in 2009. He was with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) back then. Even in TDP, it is said that he advocated for Hindu causes.

As of 2023, Singh is a two-time MLA representing Goshamahal.

The value of this achievement lies in the fact that the Old City is considered to be a stronghold of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.

While MIM bagged seven out of eight seats in the Old City, the lone BJP MLA to be elected from the region was Singh.

Back To The Trail

A couple of hours later, we entered Sultan Bazar, which is the main market in the area. From vegetable and fruit vendors to sports and electronics stores, one can find this and more here.

Singh then took a small break for about an hour, between 1 pm and 2 pm, where he supposedly stationed himself at a well-wisher's house to have lunch before getting back on trail.

"Police permission is only till 3 pm, we are supposed to finish soon," Nandkar told me after I enquired about when the campaigning will end that day.

When Singh was on a break, his wife, and arguably his biggest supporter, T Usha Bai took over the canvassing duties.

Throughout the campaign, it was interesting to see that conversations with voters was kept to a bare minimum.

"Everyone will vote for him because he listens to them, he is accessible, and he has gotten some basic work done for his constituents," said one of his supporters.

"More importantly, the people see him as a protector," said another.

Goshamahal constituency consists of many areas, including places like Koti, Jambagh, Gunfoundry, Dattatreya Nagar, and Goshamahal, to name a few.

Among these places, Jambagh is a residential area and also has business establishments that largely comprises electronics stores. Here, MIM and the BJP fight closely during the elections, especially the municipal one.

Dattatreya Nagar is known for pottery and Goshamahal consists of hardware and plywood stores, including a large residential area.

"Yes, there are local issues here, but people tend to look past those (issues)," said a supporter.

Singh's canvassing began a couple of weeks ago, and the day's campaign ended when we reached Gokul Chat — where a bomb blast occurred many years ago.

Future For Singh

Political observers in Hyderabad believe that the actual impact Singh has against the AIMIM, electorally speaking, is minimal. Even today the writ of the Owaisi brothers, runs large in the Old City.

But Singh is certainly popular among the Hindu migrant communities in Telangana.

"He would rather live and die with the BJP and remain loyal to the Hindu samaj than betray the community for greater political gains," says Rao.

On 4 November 2023, Singh filed his nomination to contest once again from the Goshamahal constituency.

Going by the reception he received in Goshamahal, it looks like he will win yet again.