Parties enlist ‘survey agencies’ to feel pulse of voters for Adilabad ZPTC poll

Adilabad: So far, political parties were taking the help of ‘survey agencies’ to know the pulse of the voters when Assembly, Lok Sabha and other major elections took place. Now, such surveys are sponsored by parties even for local body polls.

Leaders of major political parties here have enlisted the service of such agencies to know the mind of voters for the Adilabad rural mandal ZPTC. Questions are also asked in these surveys about the people’s response to the welfare schemes initiated by the YSRC government led by Jagan.

Local inhabitants, not used to such an exercise, were surprised when teams of surveyors visited interior villages and asked them about their party preferences and how they felt about the performance of the state government.

Winning the Adilabad rural ZPTC seat is a matter of prestige to both TRS and BJP. The result will have its impact on the Adilabad assembly constituency politics.

A senior Adivasi leader said teams of youths are visiting the villages for sample surveys and this was for the first time such surveys were done in these areas.

Adilabad Rural ZPTC seat fell vacant with the demise of Are Rajanna following a Covid-19 hit. Both Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna and BJP district president Payal Shankar are keen on winning the seat for their party candidates.

Payal Shankar’s son Sharath will be the BJP candidate while Are Rajanna’s son Naresh Kumar will be the TRS nominee. Payal Shankar is trying for his son’s victory by ensuring the backing of Adilabad MP Soyam Bapurao, a tribal leader. Jogu Ramanna is trying his best to split the Adivasi vote bank by luring some Adivasis leaders to the TRS camp.

It is learnt that huge sums have begun being pumped in for the campaign much before the EC issued the poll notification. Proof is in the way youths in interior areas are flush with cash these days and finding themselves in an inebriated condition day and night. They meet in groups in villages and organise parties with heavy inputs of liquor and meat. Some leaders are supplying these to get them set for the campaign and voting, it is learnt.