Hyderabad: Power cuts have become a big problem for the candidates in the fray these elections as they are getting an earful from householders while visiting houses for campaigning.
“Go away if you can’t give us power and water” is what many politicos are being greeted with. The simmering public anger over the long hours of power cuts ranging from five to 10 hours across the state is set to affect the fate of candidates as per indications.
While earlier, power supply had never been a poll issue, because of the manifold increase in the power crisis over the last few years, the traditional Roti, Kapda, Makaan demand from voters is shifting towards Bijli and Paani now.
“We have turned away two local candidates visiting our area as they have nothing to offer us. We had given representations about the power cut problem to the same people earlier as well, but there has been no respite.” said P. Yedaiah, a voter from Kishan Nagar in the Karimnagar municipality area.
The state has been reeling under an unending power crisis for the last two-and-half years. Currently, the domestic sector is facing between five to six-hour cuts in towns and cities while power cuts in municipal areas range up to eight hours daily. The industrial sector in the APCPDCL area, meanwhile, is subjected to a one-day power holiday and power supply to the agricultural sector is just six hours a day (in two spells).
“As there is no government, the negative impact of the situation will be less concentrated on any one party and will be spread over all candidates,” said president of Jeedimetla Industrial Association, P. Krishna. “I am going to ask this question to any candidate seeking vote. If I am paying for electricity and water, why am I not getting these things?” said T. Narsingrao, an agitated resident of Vishnu Society in Hyderabad.
