Huzurabad bypoll: Hanumakonda a safe dugout for leaders

Hanumakonda: While the war of words among the three major parties – the TRS, the BJP and the Congress - is at its intense in Huzurabad constituency, the neighboring Hanumakonda city has become a beehive of political dealings, especially financial. Ever since Eatala Rajender bid adieu to the TRS and quit as the MLA throwing down the gauntlet to TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao, Hanumakonda became an epicenter of political activity due to its proximity to Huzurabad constituency.

In fact, one way or other way several leaders, irrespective of party lines, are connected to neighboring Huzurabad constituency. That makes it easy to campaign in the constituency and return to their bases in Hanumakonda by the dusk. It may be mentioned here that of the five mandals in the Huzurabad constituency, Kamalapur comes under Hanumakonda district while the rest belong to Karimnagar district.

Almost all the TRS legislators of the erstwhile Warangal district have been making rounds to the constituency from June. Even some MLAs - Parkal MLA Challa Dharma Reddy, Wardhannapet MLA Aroori Ramesh, Husnabad MLA V Satish Kumar and Narsampet Peddi Sudarshan Reddy – have become a subject of criticism as they spent more time in Huzurabad than in their own constituencies.

This apart, several BJP leaders Marthineni Dharma Rao, Revuri Prakash Reddy, Gujjula Premender Reddy, Rao Padma, Chada Suresh Reddy, Anugula Rakesh Reddy etc; Congress' Seethakka, Vem Narender Reddy, Naini Rajender Reddy and others have their residences in Hanumakonda. With the polling on October 30 nearing thick and fast, leaders who set their eyes on poll management started to operate from their residences in Hanumakonda after returning from campaigning in their designated areas in the nights. State-owned Haritha Hotel in Hanumakonda is also abuzz with the politicos descending from Delhi, Hyderabad and other places before they head to Huzurabad constituency for electioneering. Several leaders like Balka Suman are reportedly operating from Haritha Hotel to amass support for TRS candidate Gellu Srinivas Yadav.

"With the Election Commission focusing on Huzurabad constituency, neighboring Hanumakonda city has become a safe haven for the leaders to operate from. Political dealings especially related to 'finances' are being made from Hanumakonda. Easily accessible from Hyderabad, Hanumakonda became a junction before the leaders head to the Huzurabad constituency," a senior TRS leader told The Hans India.