HYDERABAD: Taking no chances over possible poaching and cross-voting in the MLC local authority constituencies, political parties across the board are going the extra mile to keep hold of their representatives.
In a recent move, representatives from Karimnagar, Khammam, Medak and Adilabad were shifted to Goa and Bengaluru. This, even as parties such as TRS have majority to win in some constituencies.
According to sources some candidates are spending as much as Rs 50,000 a day on each elected representative from their party for accommodation, liquor and food apart from other expenses. Some elected representatives’ spouses were also allowed to accompany them on their ‘trip’. However, they are under complete surveillance and their phones have been switched off.
Sources said that in the wake of new cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 being detected in Bengaluru, one party is planning to move its representatives to Mysuru. “Those moved to camps in other states would be brought back a few hours before polling on December 10,” a senior leader from the party said, on condition of anonymity.
Camps are being organised for the MPTCs, ZPTCs and councillors, who are voters in MLC local authority constituencies, especially for Karimnagar, Medak, Khammam and Adilabad districts. This, as Congress candidates are in fray in Medak and Khammam districts while independent candidates are contesting in Karimnagar and Adilabad constituencies.
In Medak, parties have reportedly shifted MPTCs, ZPTCs and other representatives to a resort near Bengaluru as Congress fielded Nirmala Jayaprakash Reddy from Medak LAC. Nirmala is the wife of Sangareddy MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy. TRS has 777 voters in the constituency who were shifted in special buses to Bengaluru.
In Karimnagar, TRS rebel and former mayor Ravinder Singh is in fray apart from some independents. He has support from BJP and Congress leaders. BJP’s Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender is reportedly helping him in getting required numbers. From TRS, L Ramana and Bhanu Prasad Rao are in fray. Interestingly, Congress reportedly shifted about 40 MPTCs and ZPTCs belonging to a resort on the outskirts of Hyderabad. A Congress leader from Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district was made in-charge of the camp. Manthani MLA D Sridhar Babu is supervising the camps.
Local bodies’ elected representatives from Khammam were shifted to Goa. In Khammam, the ruling party has 497 of total 769 votes while Congress has 34; CPM 26; and TDP has 19 voters. Congress has fielded R Nageshwara Rao however Rao has reportedly approached other parties seeking their support and claims he has over 100 voters’ support from other parties.
