TRS supremo banking on development in Gajwel

Hyderabad : In the December 7 Legislative Assembly polls in Telangana, Gajwel in Siddipet district is a key constituency as TRS Chief and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is seeking re-election from the seat. Gajwel, situated at about 60 km from Hyderabad, has a total of 2,27,934 voters consisting of 1,14,362 males, 1,13,554 females and 18 others. Rao's main rival in the contest is Vanteru Pratap Reddy (Congress), the nominee fielded by the ‘Grand Alliance’ (Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti).

On behalf of other major parties, Akkula Vijaya of BJP is in the fray. Pratap Reddy took on Rao in the 2014 Assembly elections as well as a TDP nominee. He managed to get 67,303 votes against 86,694 votes secured by the TRS chief. Narsa Reddy of Congress had obtained 34,085 votes then. Pratap Reddy has since joined Congress and is banking on the combined strength of TDP and Congress. However, the TRS is relying on the massive development works and welfare schemes undertaken in the four-and-a-half years of its government to ensure an emphatic win for Rao. The major development works include improved roads, power and water supply, an education hub (of academic institutions), market godowns and hospitals and other infrastructure facilities.

"Eighty per cent of the polled votes would be in favour of us. It would be outright (win)," Rao's political secretary S Subhash Reddy told PTI. He cited 24-hour power supply to farm sector, copious supply of fertilisers, 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme and farmers' insurance scheme as examples for some of the welfare measures undertaken by the TRS government. Rao's nephew and irrigation minister in the caretaker government, T Harish Rao, who is the TRS candidate from the neighbouring Siddipet segment, has been leading the TRS campaign in the constituency. Pratap Reddy, however, alleged that the TRS government has failed to implement its promises, including three-acre land for dalits, students tuition fees reimbursement, employment generation and drought relief for farmers.