Telangana: Political activity hots up in run-up to MLC polls

Hyderabad: Even as the MLC election to two graduates' constituencies -- Nalgonda- Khammam & Warangal and Hyderabad- Rangareddy & Mahbubnagar -- are six months away, all parties seem to have taken it as a prestigious fight. While, the State Government is planning to issue notification to fill jobs in big number before the election notification was issued, the opposition parties have started campaign against the government on unemployment and want to cash in on group politics within TRS.

Political activity is gaining momentum in Telangana as the Election Commission launched the enrollment drive inviting the graduates to enroll their names as voters from October 1 onwards. Deadline for submission of applications is November 6 and the final electoral rolls will be published on January 18. The MLC elections, the TRS leaders feel, will help the party in gauging the people's opinion on the performance of the government during TRS-2 regime led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. It will also help them in the ensuing GHMC and other local body elections. In the last elections, TRS had won the Nalgonda - Khammam and Warangal Graduates' Constituency and lost Karimnagar - Adilabad - Nizamabad - Medak graduates' constituency in the last elections. This time, KCR wants that the Pink Party should win both the seats. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had told party workers on Saturday that there should be no complacency by party workers and also hinted at the possibility of some sops like lowering the LRS fees to be announced.

State Transport Minister P Ajay had taken up village level preparatory meetings with party cadre to ensure the identification of graduate voters. Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy from Nalgonda and Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao and ST welfare minister Satyawati Rathod in Warangal districts are overseeing party's readiness for the elections.

State Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav was conducting enrollment drive in Hyderabad. Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and Excise and prohibition Minister Srinivas Goud were looking after Rangareddy and Mahbubnagar districts respectively.

"KCR is getting feedback from the ministers and MLAs. He will finalise the party candidates only after the rival parties announced the names of the contestants," a senior leader said.

In a bid to counter the TRS, all senior Congress and BJP leaders have started conducting regular meetings with Mandal and Assembly Constituency level leaders and workers.

TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy constituted assembly constituency level committees to strengthen the party base before the elections. The party is planning to go alone in the election as the party is holding considerable leader strength in the two graduates' constituencies. The party's student wing NSUI and youth wing All India Youth Congress were roped in for the campaign and poll management. The candidates will be finalised only after the election notification is issued. The party's main line of attack would be to highlight unemployment and non-filling of vacancies. BJP is trying hard to retain Hyderabad graduates' constituency by fielding the incumbent N Ramachender Rao again. Sources said that the Union ministers and a few BJP national leaders will also take part in the campaign during the election time.

Telangana Praja Samithi leader M Kodandaram already conducted first round of campaign in Nalgonda graduates' constituency and trying to draw the attention of unemployed graduates. He targeted KCR government on the delay in announcing government notifications.