HYDERABAD: Palvai Sravanthi, Congress candidate for the November 3 Munugode bypoll, could well surprise many by gaining an edge among the 1.2-lakh odd women voters in the constituency.
Though she is being written off by the TRS and the BJP even before the campaigning has ended, Sravanthi has been assiduously pursuing the women vote. The TRS and the BJP too have pressed into service their women leaders for the campaign but they lack the name recognition.
In Dr Dasari Anasuya, Congress MLA from Mulugu who is better known as Seethakka, Sravanthi has found a champion for her cause.
On Tuesday, Dr Seethakka left no one in doubt that the battle was far from over when she described Sravanthi during her campaign meetings as the warrior queen of the Kakatiya dynasty, Rani Rudrama.
“The way Rudrama Devi faced several challenges and bravely fought against them, Palvai Sravanthi is fighting hard to send a strong message to both the BJP and TRS that they should never underestimate the power of a woman."
Dr Seethakka, who has been stomping through Munugode mandal of the constituency, has been pointing out how "Sravanthi is fighting against the mighty BJP and powerful TRS with courage and commitment. Like the Rani Rudrama, she is battling the intimidatory tactics of BJP’s Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy whose followers have been disrupting her campaign by creating obstructions. At the same time, she is taking on the ruling party which is seeking to overpower her campaign through distribution of money and liquor. Sravanthi has been receiving an overwhelming response from the voters, especially women,” Dr Seethakka said.
TPCC working president and former minister Dr J. Geetha Reddy, in-charge of the party campaign in Choutuppal mandal, declared: “Sravanthi is proving to the world that women have enough courage to fight against the powerful men who depend on money and muscle power. She is drawing inspiration from great leaders like Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to stay focused on her campaign.”
Sravanthi, Dr Geeta Reddy, who campaigned on Tuesday, said, “is fighting an ideological battle and she would emerge victorious.”
The senior Congress leader said, “Sravanti is not alone in her fight. She has the support of all women of Telangana, especially of the Munugode constituency. Her victory will become a symbol of women empowerment.”
