No place for the poor in 'Telangana assembly elections'

Hyderabad: Major political parties have largely ignored impoverished leaders as they nominated candidates for the December 7 elections, particularly in the urban areas and in general constituencies. 

Only in a few cases were the TRS, Congress and the BJP compelled to nominate SC and ST candidates who were not rich. The public support enjoyed by these candidates also forced the hand of the parties.

The Left parties and the Bahujan Front constituents have offered seats to candidates who are from a poor financial background. 

Mr Gummadi Narsaiah of the CPI-ML (New Democracy), a five-time MLA from Yellandu, could not pay the Rs 10, 000 security deposit at the time of filing his nomination papers. People in his constituency donated money to help him file his papers. In his papers, he showed Rs 50,000 cash, a loan of Rs 3.6 lakh and his wife had a loan of  Rs 1.03 lakh. He has donated the house site sanctioned to him by the government in Hyderabad to the party to build its office.

Mr Gummadi Narsaiah earns by cultivating the 4-acre ancestral land and has a two-wheeler which he uses for party work. The rest of the time, he uses a bicycle.

Mr Narsaiah told this newspaper he does not require money for his campaign as the villagers would provide food and accommodation for those canvassing for him. 

Ms Kova Lakshmi, the TRS candidate from Asifabad reserved segment, does not have a strong financial background. She had '48 lakh worth property and her her husband Rs 40 lakh.

She also said the locals provide food to those who campaign, unlike in urban areas, and there is no need to spend much on canvassing. Arranging for transport was enough, Ms Lakshmi said.

She said her campaign expenses were very low when compare with the lavish campaigns mounted by her counterparts in general constituencies.

Ms Anasuya Danasari, alias Seethakka, the Congress candidate from Mulug (ST) has Rs 50.30 lakh movable and immovable assets and Ms Kunja Satyavathi, BJP candidate from Bhadrachalam, is not financially so well off: She had properties worth Rs 1.24 crore.

Mr Tammineni Veerabhadram, convener of the Dali Bahujan Front, said they had offered seats to the poor keeping in view of their popularity. He admitted that those candidates were not in a position to spend '28 lakh, the maximum expenditure on the campaign that is allowed by the Election Commission.