Candidates jittery as D-Day approaches

Khammam: With their fate firmly sealed in the electronic voting machines (EVMs), the candidates in the fray for the maiden election to the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) appeared jittery over the outcome on the eve of the counting. Albeit the TRS party riding high on the crest of recent victories, kept its fingers crossed over the outcome.

The Opposition party leaders seemed not much overawed by the situation especially with the past history suggesting in their favour that never a ruling party in the state was at the helm of affairs of the Khammam municipality. It may be mentioned here that only twice the Congress was able to hoist its flag on the municipality while the better part of the rule was in the hands of the CPI (M) since 1940.

After the completion of the previous body’ term in 2010, for various reasons the civic polls were not held to the municipality. In between, the municipality was upgraded into the corporation in 2012 merging nine suburban panchayats. Post bifurcation of the state, the political landscape of Khammam district took a massive curve after the ruling TRS roped in the Telugu Desam strongman Tummala Nageswara Rao, triggering an en masse exodus of leaders from TDP and Congress.

Against this backdrop, the TRS went into the election on the poll plank of all round development while the opposition looked like a pedestrian in the 100-metre race. Barring the Congress-CPI alliance, all other parties contested individually. After the Sunday’s polling, although the TRS appeared in the forefront of the race to clinch majority in the civic body, the cadres of Congress and the TDP have also expressed confidence that they have an outside chance of pipping the ruling party at the post.

Meanwhile a day after the polling, most of the candidates were around the temples seeking divine intervention for success in the election. Speaking to The Hans India, Congress Deputy Floor Leader in the Council Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said: “The Congress is expected to fare reasonably well. It may not possible for the TRS to repeat its GHMC success.”

CPI (M) district committee secretary P Sudarshan Rao expressed confidence that their party could win at least four divisions while the TRS has better chance of clinching the corporation. On the other hand, the district administration has made all arrangements for the counting at the Cotton Market Yard, which starts at 8 am on Wednesday. District Collector DS Lokesh said that they deployed around 400 police personnel to ensure a hassle-free counting.