Visakhapatnam: State Election Commission order dampens the spirit of aspirants

Visakhapatnam: Just a week ahead of the civic body polls, the State Election Commission's (SEC) announcement on the postponement of polls due to coronavirus scare has dampened the spirit of aspirants.

Initially, when the date for the local body polls was announced as March 23, many candidates expressed their concern over little time left to prepare for the local body polls.

However, with the State Election Commission putting off the local body elections due to coronavirus threat for another six weeks did come as a big disappointment for those who have already been geared for the same.

With this, the campaign heat ahead of the polls has come to a grinding halt.

After the completion of the nominations process, candidates have been slogging day and night, to get the support from the voters.

A large number of party activists campaigned from morning to evening, abiding by the model code of conduct. When the campaign concluded for the day, elaborate meetings were held by the candidates with the representatives of the colony association and community union members for the next action plan to win voters confidence.

In addition to discussing pending issues of the colony, aspirants also give assurances on what they would do to their respective colony once they come to power.

Sources say that candidates have already spent lakhs of rupees to win votes in the local body polls earlier scheduled on March 23. They pulled out all stops, including sponsoring for food, vehicles and fuel expenses for the campaigners.

Now, with the six-week-long postponement as announced by the SEC, onus lies on the respective party cadre to maintain the campaigners until the revised date is announced. A candidate, who is contesting in GVMC elections, said, "Our budget is going to swell as we need to take care of campaigners for another few more weeks. This is certainly going to pinch our pockets," the candidate lamented.

Lella Koteswara Rao, a TDP aspirant from the 86th ward, said, "Even if the SEC gives a revised date for local body polls, the momentum will not be the same as it is now."

YSRC candidate J Sridhar alleged that the TDP aspirants have already spent liberally on the campaigners wherein most of them appear to be daily wagers. "The Opposition has to cough up further to maintain the campaigners by paying approximately Rs.300 to Rs.600 a day to each," he mentioned.