MyVoice: Views of our readers 8th November 2022

Tight slap in the face of turncoats

While, the bypoll win was crucial for the BJP to dislodge the Congress and cement its position as the strong alternative to the TRS in the 2023 Assembly polls, Munugodu victory was expected to attract more disgruntled leaders from the TRS and Congress into its fold, that dream didn't come true. But, the result of Munugode is a tight slap in the face of the disgruntled turncoats who switch the parties and force bypolls for their own political benefits - incurring a huge cost to the exchequer and waste of resources. Also, the victory of TRS has boosted the CM KCR's political authority and would be interesting to watch his next political moves, who is at loggerheads with BJP.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

II

The election in Munugodu of Telangana had attracted people's attention as the ruling TRS there is in the process of transforming itself into a national party with anti BJP stance. Though TRS has the last laugh there, the road ahead for it is not smooth. Encouraging defections from other parties may not always pay dividends for BJP. It's useless to read too much in to the results as they indicate nothing new. It is a business as usual on the political stage.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

III

The editorial - A sweet win but many bitter lessons - prudently brought out the undeniable realities involved in winning elections albeit with muscle and money power that must give some solace and sense of confidence to TRS in winning the Munugodu by-election. In a way the victory was inevitable for the party, otherwise, there might have been an unprecedented sense of depression and disappointment on part of TRS party cadres. The by-election has also proved BJP's potential in making inroads in the coming days in Telangana, in terms of Parliament and Assembly segments in the state.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

IV

Loss of deposit for Congress at Munugodu is the indication of its near decimation in 2018 assembly elections in Telangana. BJP could achieve its objective of creating the image of a challenger to TRS in the next round. The TRS victory, despite employing all its might in the constituency, is not so spectacular thus the result is a warning for KCR as that party can't carpet bomb all the constituencies during the general election.

Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao, Vijayawada

V

Like a common man, the Election Commission, a statutory body established to ensure free and fair elections in our country, seems to be helpless too. Unfortunately, this is the state of our democracy at the grassroots level even after its working of 72 years. It is time serious thought is given to reform the present desperate state so that the future elections are ensured to be free from this dirty and vulgar play of money in this game of catching of votes.

Seshagiri Row Karry, Hyderabad

VI

It is an accepted fact that both the major parties openly lured voters with money, liquor and other inducements and Manugodu proved it right after the results saw it was a close finish with TRS finally winning leaving only congress red faced. Therefore, to say that the verdict is a slap on the face of BJP is only a figment of imagination because BJP though defeated gave a tough fight till the end. In fact, TRS must understand that as assembly and Lok Sabha elections are altogether different, therefore to conclude that bypoll victory has given KCR ammunition to roll out BRS plans across the states in order to give a tough fight to BJP in 2024 once again exposes his arrogance because his attempts may remain a pipedream.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

DeMo an ill-thought-out plan

On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes with the ultimate aim of reducing corruption and black money in the economy. Most of the unorganised sectors do not accept digital payments. Neither do taxi and auto drivers. One thing is for certain. Demonetisation alone was never going to solve the corruption issue. This can be rooted out only through the grassroots, the younger generation, the youth of tomorrow. Those who have indulged in corruption would merely have been temporarily inconvenienced, and would have found other ways to go about their business. This misled the country into demonetisation in 2016. The latter badly hurt the economy, and took tolls of several dozens of innocent lives.

M R Jayanthi, Mumbai

Trial runs of Vande Bharat express begin on Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai route

Bengaluru: On the Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai route, the Vande Bharat (VB), a semi-high-speed train capable of travelling at a speed of 160 to 180 kph, began its trial run on Monday.

The VB train departed from Chennai Central at 5:50 in the morning, arrived in Bengaluru at around 10:25, and reached Mysuru at 12:30 in the afternoon. The VB travelled at an average speed of 75.6 kmph (SWR at 72.5 kmph, Southern Railway at 80.2 kmph). The VB Express departed from Mysuru at 1:05 pm, arrived in KSR Bengaluru City at 2.55 pm, and reached Chennai at 7.35 pm on the return journey. The average speed was 77.5kmph average (SWR: 75.6kmph, SR: 80.2kmph).

Between Mysuru and Chennai, the VB Express will travel for 504 kilometres with stops in Katpadi and KSR Bengaluru City. Bengaluru, Chennai Central, and Mysuru It will take VB six hours and forty minutes to get there. Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai It will only take VB six hours and thirty minutes.

On Friday, the locally constructed train will be officially launched from KSR Bengaluru City by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Automatic doors, a GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, and WiFi hotspots on board are features found on all coaches.

This nation's sixth Vande Bharat train will depart from here. The Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai train travels at 75–77 kilometres per hour, making it perhaps the slowest VB Express in the nation. VB trains are only allowed to travel at a top speed of 130 kph, yet on test runs they have reached 180 kph. However, due to speed limits and other restrictions, VB will travel the Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru route at an average speed of 72–75 kmph.