Tense MLAs conduct surveys on poll prospects

Vijayawada: Several MLAs are conducting surveys by using their own network by paying money to private survey agencies.  The MLAs of TDP and YSR Congress have been conducting surveys for the past some time in each constituency by taking the services of the private agencies to check grass root-level facts with their own team members.  According to sources, the survey agencies are charging anywhere from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for the survey in each constituency.

The Telugu Desam Party is conducting surveys by deploying five teams. The State Intelligence department, Real Time Governance, a retired professor of the SV University, the team of a former MP and the party’s own survey team are conducting surveys for TDP. They submit monthly-wise surveys.  The Telugu Desam leadership is sending the reports to its MLAs directly. The TDP is satisfied about the survey reports. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is confident that the surveys would reveal the satisfaction levels of 70 per cent people.  

Similarly, the YSR Congress is also conducting surveys in two-way system. The team members led by Prashanth Kishore are conducting the surveys constituency-wise. The YSR Congress is selecting the candidates based on the survey reports. The leaderships of both the parties are making plans to change the persons in-charge of constituencies or MLAs depending upon feedback from the reports. The YSR Congress mainly focused on selecting strong candidates. In this backdrop, the MLAs are conducting surveys with own teams. The MLAs are approaching the senior journalists, students, and survey agencies for getting feedback regarding people’s opinion. 

The MLAs and constituency in-charge persons have plans to submit the reports to party leadership. Annavarapu Brahmaiah, who conducted the survey for Telugu Desam in Jaggaiahpet constituency, said that it takes 20 days for submitting report. He also said that the students who participated in the survey would be paid Rs 1,000 for the service. They would collect samples at village-level and mandal-level in the constituency. They would also extend suggestions including poll management plans, he added.