Teacher polls: MLC candidates offer cash-for-vote schemes 

HYDERABAD: Politically-backed candidates for the upcoming MLC election of the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar (HRRM) teachers’ constituency, which has the highest number of voters in the category, are looking to set the political trend by announcing cash-for-vote schemes.

Reportedly, a MLC candidate openly offered Rs 5,000 per vote, while political parties are backing corporate candidates to pump in money.

Of the 29,501 voters, around 23,000 are from government educational institutions. The number was boosted this year, with around 5,000 private teachers enrolling as voters; they were allowed to enrol for the first time.

The Progressive Recognised Teachers Union (PRTU) declared Chenna Keshava Reddy as its candidate, while the PRTU-TS is backing MLC Katepally Janardhan Reddy. The United Teachers’ Federation (UTF) is backing Manik Reddy, while a BJP-affiliated candidate, A.V.N. Reddy, is also set to contest the polls.

Observers said that the poll will be a three-way contest among the union-backed candidates.

PRTU state president P. Sripal Reddy said, “We strongly believe that an organisation is more powerful than an individual. We had already succeeded by fielding low-profile candidates in MLC elections against the so-called powerful candidates.”

Campaigning has picked up the pace, with candidates approaching mandal and district-level teacher bodies for backing, besides meeting private school managements.

In a related development, teachers’ unions also complained to the Election Commission over bogus enrolment of voters.