HYDERABAD: Several social activists and academicians have taken a plunge into electoral politics this time. Are they likely to do well? We will know today. Many like Professor Sujatha Surepally, Chandramukhi and Lubna Sarwath are contesting against heavyweights from People’s Front & TRS in Chennur, Goshamahal and Karwaan. Hence, winning will not be easy.
“We have a good understanding of issues plaguing in our areas and have campaigned focussing on the issues. I was in fact the only candidate to release a separate manifesto for the constituency. It is aspects like these that an activist can bring to the political sphere if they become a lawmaker. By contesting, I made basic rights and facilities an election agenda,” says Lubna Sarwath.
Lubna, who is contesting as a Socialist Party of India candidate from Karwan, has the reputation of being part of a pressure group that demands government act on issues like environment and women’s safety. But will this translate into votes? Not if past record is anything to go by. She contested against MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in 2014 and got a mere 6,000 votes — 0.6 per cent of total vote share.
Professor Sujatha Surepally, who has fought against many issues like open cast mining and alcoholism, admits the goodwill need not necessarily translate to votes. “I have been active here for 15 years.
Till I was an activist nobody cared about my background, but the moment I began to campaign they started asking me if I was a ‘local’. It was disheartening,” she says.
For transwoman BLF candidate Chandramukhi, this contest is about putting gender at the centre of electoral debates. She fought against BJP strongman Raja Singh & TRS candidate Prem Singh Rathore from Goshamahal. She is betting all her cards on “transgender votes” but in State, only 8.9%of transgenders voted. Despite odds being stacked against them, many of the above activists believe their role was crucial.