Munugode: Voters in Munugode constituency felt that they had received negative press as a result of the alleged distribution of money, which they saw as an insult to the electorate. Many others believed that the government had ignored critical civic issues in the constituency, focusing solely on how to win the byelection.
About 400 residents of Munugode who work in software companies, hospitals, and other sectors in Hyderabad returned to the constituency to vote on Thursday. "I am vexed by the political parties and their policies," said B. Vamsi, who works in a private hospital in Vanasthalipuram. “A new political party must be chosen."
Eight weavers from Devalammanagaram and Ghattuppal who work in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, returned home for the bypoll. Koidi Kondaiah, from Koyyalagudem in Choutuppal mandal, said he was deeply hurt by the negative publicity that Munugode received on social media platforms, which claimed that some political parties were distributing `40,000 in cash or a little more than tola gold worth around `54,000 to each voter in the constituency.
"We received calls from friends and relatives asking if we had received money or gold. They were sarcastic and mocking of us. I was irritated by such remarks,” he said. E. Tukaram of Koyyalagudem said the reports of money distribution was untrue and baseless.
Several young people believed the Munugode bypoll had an impact on the development of 88 Assembly constituencies because the TRS had deployed its 14 MPs, 88 MLAs and MLCs for the campaign. "The MLAs were not available to the people all these days," said V. Paramesh, a native of Devalammanagaram a gram panchayat. “Is this what we call a democracy.”
While the government spent time and effort winning the byelection, it ignored several civic issues. "The roads in Devalammanagaram are very bad," said B. Mallesh, a driver. "Pregnant women are suffering a lot while being transported to the hospital. Nobody is talking about it. There is an urgent need for a hospital in this village.”
