Hyderabad: Uncertainty looms large over the Singareni trade union elections, even though the poll notification was issued on Wednesday. The nominations process has to begin from October 6 and polling is scheduled for October 28.
The Telangana High Court had recently ordered that the elections be held forthwith.
However, collectors and superintendents of police of the six districts that the collieries covers have to the Central Deputy Labour Commissioner (CDLC), who issued the poll notification, that they cannot engage in Singareni poll duties as they will be busy with the Assembly election from October, official sources said.
Besides, 13 Singareni workers unions have written to the CDLC opposing the elections at this stage; they preferred that the polls be held after the Assembly elections.
None of the major political parties is keen to face these polls now with a fear that the outcome may impact Assembly polls as the collieries covers 24 Assembly constituencies in Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli, Bhupalapally, Kothagudem and Khammam districts.
The parties give utmost significance to Singareni elections and vie to field candidates from their affiliated trade unions. With the Assembly polls notification expected in October second week, they will be totally focussed on the state polls preparedness like selection of candidates and campaigning.
They are also worried over the outcome of the collieries elections. Opposition parties feel that the BRS as a ruling party has certain advantages which it would exploit to win the elections, as it did in 2017, and project the victory as an endorsement of its policies.
If the BRS wins, it could claim there is no anti-incumbency against the government as being claimed by Opposition parties, and that the union election victory is a clear indication that BRS will win upcoming Assembly polls.
The BRS, on the other hand, is worried that if it loses the Singareni elections, it would further bolster opposition parties, especially Congress and BJP, in the run-up to Assembly polls.
Against this backdrop, the collectors, SPs of respective districts and even majority of the trade unions opposing Singareni elections, is being viewed in political circles that the ruling party is behind this entire episode to block Singareni polls ahead of Assembly polls.
The state government reportedly asked SCCL management to file a review petition before the division bench of the High Court challenging the single bench orders that elections be held in October as collectors, SPs and majority of the trade unions want Singareni elections be held after Assembly polls.
