Hyderabad: The ruling TRS, and the MIM, its ally in the 2014 general elections, are ahead of other political parties in the billboard, flexi and poster war, as GHMC polls draw closer.
Flexis proclaiming: “Transforming Hyderabad...New skyways &flyover...No more traffic jams! Vote for Car, support KCR,” draw attention of the commuters from the Metro Rail pillars on the busy SD Road in Secunderabad and also the Begumpet road.
After the massive billboard campaign launched by the TRS across the city on various developmental schemes, the MIM joined the GHMC specific poster war with posters screaming: “We stand for Hyderabad and Hyderabad stands for us,” and “Hamara Hyderabad”.
TRS is focusing on developmental and welfare measures, the thrust being on the “power cut-free city and state, 2BHK housing scheme, regularisation of illegal structures, of unauthorised layouts, of Urban Land Ceiling lands, trial runs of Metro Rail, cleaning of Hussainsagar lake, recarpeting of city roads, augmentation of drinking water, Swachh Hyderabad etc. in its publicity blitz.
Metro Rail pillars, major intersections like Ranigunj, Assembly, the Chief Minister’s camp office and other places across the city are now dotted with posters attracting voters to the TRS, MIM, BJP and other parties.
TRS sources say that more flexis on developmental works in Hyderabad would be put up in the run up to the GHMC polls.
After High Court had pulled up the government over cutouts, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao promised to remove the eyesores, but neither the ruling nor the Opposition parties are adhering to it. In fact, more posters, cutouts, and flexis are expected to dot every nook and corner of the city as soon as GHMC poll dates are announced.
“The TRS is occupying every vantage hoarding point in city and is not giving any chance for others,” said G. Kishan Reddy, TS BJP president.
Telugu Desam spokesman Durga Prasad alleged government was using arm twisting methods on billboard publicity and ensuring that the ruling TRS gets all vantage points. “You will not get a billboard without a nod from officer concerned,” he pointed out.
TRS and TNGOs leader Deviprasad refuted the charge, saying “Let them come to me, I will arrange billboards. They shouldn’t make baseless allegations.”
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