Poll campaigning picks up steam in RR

Rangareddy: Political campaigns from different parties in Rangareddy district are gaining momentum as the candidates begin hitting the roads simply beating their drums along with their supporters to woo the voters in their respective municipalities.

Rallies, public meetings and corner gatherings planned by different parties kick started in almost all the six municipalities such as Shadnagar, Ibrahimpatnam, Chevella, Amangal, Moinabad and Shankarpally in the district.

A total number of 437 candidates from different parties are in the foray from 126 wards this time in the municipal elections for which the polling is scheduled to be held on February 11, according to authorities.

Together a total number of 1,76,023 voters enrolled in all the six municipalities will decide the fate of the candidates on the polling day for which a number of 274 polling stations have been formed by the authorities from state election commission.

Meanwhile, the candidates of ruling party are found assuring the voters of possible help in getting the benefits under various welfare schemes. However, their counterparts in opposition parties are promising the same if their party is elevated to power. However, the political campaigns this time are found solely confined to the party circles as no such excitement was seen among the voters who are found upset citing reasons one way or another.

Many are found complaining about not getting the benefits of government schemes. “I have applied for a gas subsidy scheme at a local ward office a year ago but my request didn’t get approved yet despite reminders,” rued Aashamma, a resident of Shastripuram under Rajendranagar constituency.

Now, she further said that the local ward office found winded-up as the nearby people are saying that the recent merger of a few municipalities may have necessitated the abrupt shift.

Affirming the same, PSrinivas of Kattedan area said, “Ward office staff found impassive towards him when he visited them to inquire about his pending application filed to utilise the scheme offering 200 unit free power scheme. After initial dilly-dallying, the ward office staff told me that they are helpless as they have forwarded the application to concerned authorities.”

Similar outburst is being witnessed from a section of disabled people who said that the promise of a suitable increase in Aasara pension amount was not yet fulfilled. “Leave alone fulfilling the poll promise of increasing the pension amount, many of the fresh applications filed last year were not approved yet under the Aasra scheme,” said Afroz, a disabled person.