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Ministers huffing in polls to save posts

The fear factor among ministers is reflecting in the campaign in several ways, most obviously in the spending factor.

Hyderabad: Given the rider from TRS supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao that ministers who cannot win all municipalities in their respective districts would lose their Cabinet berth, state ministers are sweating it out for the victory of TRS candidates in their areas to safeguard their own berths.

The ruling pink party has taken the elections to urban local bodies’ that falls under the Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Malkajgiri, Nalgonda and Bhongir Lok Sabha segments as a matter of high prestige, because it was from here that the opposition parties dented the TRS vision of 16 wins in the last Lok Sabha elections.

The ministers, who are in a tizzy and fear of losing their jobs, have unusually but predictably in this case, started touring small wards everyday as any local leader would do to seeking votes from the people in a local body election.

Free flow of money, liquor in local polls
A senior leader of the TRS, on condition of anonymity, said that ministers, particularly senior ministers, who want to handover their political legacy to their kids, are not only afraid of their own future but also of their kids’ future if they lose the job. Such ministers are leaving no stone unturned to save their jobs.

Even TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao held road shows in Siricilla and Vemulawada municipalities, which are under his Sircilla constituency.

The fear factor among ministers is reflecting in the campaign in several ways, most obviously in the spending factor. They are not thinking twice in pumping huge amounts of money and large quantities of liquor to attract voters, particularly those from poorer sections and lower middle class voters in urban segments falling in their respective districts, the senior leader of TRS said.

He conceded that the quantum of money being spent is unheard of for local body polls, and in some wards, ruling party candidates are spending more than Rs 5,000 per each vote, with support from ministers and local ruling party MLAs to ensure
victory.

He further disclosed that the party chief had declared the MLAs who aspiring for a cabinet berth would be suitably rewarded if they succeed in getting victory in all ULBs in their respective constituencies. With this indication coming from the top boss, MLAs are also striving hard for victory of ruling party candidates.

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