Visakhapatnam: Notification for the GVMC polls is yet to be issued but political parties have already got into the poll mode as also the poll survey agencies. Vizagites are surprised to receive recorded phone calls asking the individuals to choose the political party of their choice to vote in the GVMC polls when they are held. Apart from phone calls some of them encounter enthusiastic youngsters with questionnaires in their hands asking them to comment on various issues and also their preferred political party. Both ruling and TD have already started organising meetings with their leaders from booth to constituency level asking them to strive hard for the win of their respective party candidates.
Over the last two weeks state finance and district in-charge minister, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu visited Vizag at least twice and chaired party internal coordination meetings and all those aimed at winning maximum wards in the GVMC polls. “I was surprised to receive a call asking me to choose one among the parties given in the options. I didn't know the GVMC polls are around but now am sure that they will be held soon,” said K. Sumitra of Lawsons Bay colony.
To retain its position, GVMC polls are very important for the ruling party and to sustain in the district, these polls are equally important for opposition YSRC. BJP is looking at strengthening the party in the region with these civic body polls though both the alliance partners will contest together. “Survey over phone calls and asking to choose one party can only give a broader view and general mood. But on field survey deploying the teams with right questionnaire is the scientific method to elicit the right public opinion. We conduct these surveys in a professional manner by deploying research scholars and professors from various universities. At different levels we have built in mechanisms that are designed to throw up any mistakes we might be committing while surveying,” said B. Suresh Babu, coordinator of Hyderabad-based research organisation —Peoples Pulse, which had conducted such poll surveys in various states.
