Rural Areas Face Speed Local Body Election Process

Nizamabad: The political climate got heated up in rural areas of the erstwhile Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts after the State Election Commission announced the dates for elections for gram panchayat, mandal and zilla parishad elections.

While the district administrations began arrangements for the elections, candidates wishing to contest these polls started approaching MLAs and Assembly constituency in-charges for support. The strengths of each political party such as the ruling Congress and opposition BJP and BRS has become a hot topic for people.

The ruling Congress is confident that its decision to provide a 42 per cent reservation in local body elections would help it in the local polls. Except for Balkonda Assembly constituency, which is represented by BRS MLA V. Prashanth Reddy, Nizamabad district appears to be duel between the Congress and the BJP.

Congress aspirants approached senior MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy, advisor to the state government Mohammad Ali Shabbir for an opportunity in the local body elections.

Though the BJP restricted itself to contesting in municipal polls earlier, the party is hopeful of a better performance now. BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri is also trying to show the party’s clout in rural elections.