Hyderabad: Voters are split on their choice of party due to a multiplicity of reasons: Die-hards deciding on their choice irrespective of promises, multiple parties promising similar sops, and lack of addressing key issues by all parties, in some instances.
G. Ravinder Reddy, a farmer from Choppadandi in Karimnagar district, said: “Parties are refusing to give proper MSP for our produce, amid falling subsidies. The lack of crop insurance doesn’t get attention. My name has come in the list of farmers whose loan has been waived, but the amount has not been credited,” he said.
Asked about the mudslinging between the Congress and the BRS on the issue of free power, his fellow farmer, N. Shekhar, who is an MBA holder, said, “People remember that YSR started free power and farm loans were waived at on go. Why will Congress limit the free power to three hours? We are getting power for 12 to 13 hours. The BRS is trying to create confusion on Rythu Bandhu and free power.”
Sheikh Maqbool and his wife, who runs an eatery in Indurthi of Chigurumamidi mandal, were rooting for the BRS as he gets a pension of Rs 4,000 due to being partially handicapped. “I am indebted to the BRS government. At the most, the majority might reduce but KCR will return to power,” he said.
Maqbool’s fellow villager, B. Srinivas, says though power was free even before BRS came to power, it wasn’t given for farming as is being presently done.
A few others at the Maqbool’s eatery said that there is a need for a change in the Congress, citing divided leadership and a lack of a strong leader to stand up to the high command to insist on the implementation of promises made. They cited the example of Karnataka, saying that D.K. Shivakumar was thwarted from becoming the Chief Minister due to the high command’s interference.
K. Nagaraju, a polio victim who has been categorised as 82 per cent disabled, said that although he was getting a pension of Rs 4,016, he hasn't got the promised house.
“Implementing promises like double bedrooms, issuing new pensions, giving three acres to Dalits and issuing ration cards are some areas where the BRS has had a poor track record. Five per cent of the houses are to be reserved for the differently abled. I didn't get the retro-fitted vehicle to help me move around,” he said.
Some others, like Lakkam Vijay, have joined a party named Vidyarthula Rajakiya Party, which has made the job issue the focal point of its campaign.
P. Narayana, who lives with his aged mother in Nawabpet of Chigurumamidi mandal, has had to make do with a makeshift house, which is in a dilapidated condition, with five of his family members saying their efforts to secure a double-bedroom house came to nought.
N. Mallesh, who is landless and had applied for sanction of sheep by paying Rs 44,300, said he was denied because the election code had kicked in. “The papers about the sanction of houses were given to some BRS supporters but they also didn’t get houses. But have been left with the impression that they would get them in future,” he said.
A software engineer from the village, refusing to be named, questioned why Minister K.T. Rama Rao talked to unemployed youths only in the run-up to the elections. “What is the need to make a show of it? What kind of development is it to make land costly and beyond the reach of people in Hyderabad?” the techie said.
