Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB), after getting the voter enrolment drive out of the way, is gearing up for polls after an eight-year hiatus, after the tenure of the board elected in 2015 was extended by three years.
While the polls are civilian in nature, not fought by political parties directly, candidates are supported by political parties in most instances, with parties also conducting surveys to support the most popular candidates, especially against the backdrop of an election year for the state.
The polls are scheduled for April 30.
Even though the model code of conduct is in place since the election schedule was announced, aspiring candidates took advantage of the voter enrolment drive by turning them into campaigns for the polls.
Last week, the ruling BRS violated the model code of conduct as animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Rao led a protest near the Jubilee Bus Stand against the LPG price hike. SCB’s chief executive officer Madhukar Naik D. also wrote to the Mahankali Police in this regard.
Ward members said that they have been receiving phone calls from influential members in the area, asking them to vote for particular individuals.
“The BJP and BRS seem to have a good number of popular leaders, while the Congress is yet to make strides,” an SCB source said.
In the 2015 polls, BRS-backed candidates won four wards, while rebel BRS leaders won two seats and the Congress-backed nominee won one, besides an independent candidate win. The BJP-TDP alliance returned empty-handed from the polls.
However, ward members said that BJP is the biggest contender against the BRS this time around. “I won't be surprised if BRS stoops low enough to gain sympathy votes, over the death of sitting MLA Sayanna,” a ward member said.
Poll bugle gets louder
April 10 is the date for allotment of free symbols
April 30 is the date of polling
May 1 is the date for counting of votes
8 wards in total in SCB
Wards II, V and VI reserved for women, VII for SC candidates, I, III, IV and VII for general category
Polls on non-political party basis, BRS, BJP, Congress backing candidates
60% of voter base belongs to SCs
