Paloncha (Kothagudem): With the High Court declaring the City Central Court’s order stalling elections of the power sector null and void, the government plans to conduct the elections at Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) on Friday. KTPS official K. Sammaiah said that the elections would be conducted as scheduled.
The government approached the HC and argued that all the arrangements for Friday’s election had already been made, and it succeeded in achieving a verdict in its favour. G. Muthaiah, the leader of 327 union, had previously approached a City Central Court in Hyderabad, seeking the stalling of the elections because they were being conducted in a one-tiered manner instead of a two-tiered manner.
MPs Sitaram Naik and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, and legislators Jalagam Venkat Rao, Koram Kanakaiah and Payam Venkateswarlu campaigned vigorously in favour of the Telangana Rastra Vidyut Karmika Sangham (TRVKS), the trade union wing of the TRS in Telangana Genco. They explained welfare schemes that would be implemented in the future for the benefit of the employees.
KTPS votes are crucial for the formation of a recognised union in Telangana Transco. The KTPS has 2,294 votes, while Telangana Genco has 3,561 votes. The union which earns more votes will be recognised.
The Telangana State Power Employees union 1535 is giving the TRVKS a run for its money. Many employees are in favour of the 1535 union because they believe that it works sincerely. But leaders of the ruling party have used various ways and means to woo voters. Leaders of the TRVKS tried to meet with each and every employee of the KTPS and convince them to vote in their favour.
Other unions such as 1104 and 327 are also trying to win the election by exposing the failure of the government in converting employees hired on contract into permanent employees. P. Sitapathi, an employee of the KTPS, said, “The election campaign was like the campaign for an Assembly election, and all unions took it seriously. Employees are being lured by all means.”
