HYDERABAD: As many as 122 Independent candidates have already filed their nomination papers in the 24 constituencies under Greater Hyderabad jurisdiction. This number is set to increase as candidates can file their papers until Monday, November 18. In 2014, the final number stood at 192 candidates.
Many of these candidates are not political novices. Miffed by their party denying them a ticket, multiple ambitious politicians have chosen to duke it out on their own. This ‘independence’ has been quite difficult for parties to handle. The Grand Alliance - an otherwise unlikely alliance between once-foes Congress and TDP, along with TJS and CPI - knows this well.
The highest number of such candidates are from Uppal, where nearly 12 have filed their papers already. Twenty-nine-year-old Gonthi Srikanth, one of the eight independent candidates in Jubilee Hills constituency, told Express that his decision was a result of TRS government’s failure to generate employment in the State. “Major political parties will not give opportunities to anyone. You need to be from a political family to get into electoral politics,” says Srikanth.
Another independent candidate from Kukatpally constituency, VBK Mohan, said he has filed his nominations as an Independent candidate as he understood his responsibility as a citizen. “Everyone is happy being an ‘armchair activist’. Everyone is willing to voice their opinions on the internet, but no one wants to work for people,” said Mohan, a small time director.
Today is the last day for filing papers
With Monday being the last day for filing nominations, the Election officials, particularly District Election Officers and the Returning Officers of the constituencies, are bracing themselves to the meet the last-minute rush.
CEO Rajat Kumar who reviewed the situation expressed satisfaction and said that the process of receiving nominations faced no hitch so far at any level