Battle lines drawn for Singareni polls

Kothagudem: Even as the battle lines are drawn and the coal fields are abuzz with hectic electioneering that likely to see a few pyrotechnics ahead of October 5 polling that decides Kaun Banega Coal Belt Raja being fought by the recognised trade unions of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), it’s apparent that the TS Representative in New Delhi S Venugopala Chary, who is also the president of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) which is also in the poll fray, is in a piquant situation as he had to lock horns with the Telangana Boggu Ghani Karmika Sangham (TGBKS), affiliated to ruling TRS.

The election assumed a lot of importance as it was fought in the backdrop of revival of dependent employment scheme a long-pending demand of the SCCL staff that stuck in legal hurdles. However, the 2012 winner TGBKS has its task cut out, its leaders claim credit for its effort to revive the dependent employment scheme besides taking up the filling up of 3,000-odd jobs in the SCCL.

Referring to SCCL chairman and managing director N Sridhar’s announcement increasing Dasara festival advance from Rs 18,000 to Rs 25,000, and Diwali bonus from Rs 54,000 to Rs 57,000 to each of its workers, INTUC leader B Janak Prasad said: “The move is to favour the TGBKS affiliated to the ruling party. Despite this, the coal miners have no faith in TGBKS and showing their back to the ruling party legislators’ poll campaign.”

He said that their alliance which includes major unions such as CPI-affiliated AITUC and Telugu Desam subsidiary TNTUC have so far completed one round of electioneering in 11 coal belt areas and the response they got was immense. Meanwhile, the HMS, the CPM-backed CITU and the BJP-affiliated BMS are also in the fray.

Admitting that revival of dependent employment scheme that landed in legal tangles and the anti-incumbency are the two factors they have to confront with, TGBKS general secretary Kengerla Mallaiah told The Hans India: “The coal miners believe that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao alone can ensure justice to them.

The CM is verifying the alternative measures that could reinstate the dependent employment scheme. Though initially it appeared like that we were lagging in the campaign, as of now we are forging ahead.” With its prestige at stake ahead of 2019 elections, the TRS has reportedly deployed 11 legislators and seven MPs for the electioneering.

CITU state general secretary M Saibabu said: “The absence of HMS leader S Venugopala Chary in the poll campaign reflects the opportunistic politics of the TRS government.

Although the HMS is contesting the polls individually, he was seen nowhere, so far. The CITU which was opposing the poll pact with the TDP and the Congress is contesting alone. Both the Congress and the TDP are anti-working class, hence, we didn’t join the alliance led by the AITUC.”

In 2012 elections, the TGBKS kept its sway over Kothagudem, Bhupalpally, Mandamarri, Srirampur and Ramagundam-3 regions, while AITUC bagged Yellandu and Bellampally, INTUC won from Manuguru and Kothagudem corporate region and HMS clinched Ramagundam 1 and 2 regions.