Telangana elections: Saw our MLA only twice but will still vote for him, says Khairatabad residents

A similar sentiment prevails across the other bastis in the constituency who await their turn for regularising their houses as per G.O M.S no 58.
An open drain clogged with garbage flows in Chintal Basti under Khairatabad constituency limits, in Hyderabad on Wednesday | Sathya Keerthi
An open drain clogged with garbage flows in Chintal Basti under Khairatabad constituency limits, in Hyderabad on Wednesday | Sathya Keerthi

HYDERABAD: BJP’s MLA from Khairatabad Assembly constituency in the previous assembly, Chintala Ramachandra Reddy may have been an early starter, but it appears he should be up for a tough battle this time around. Reddy was among the first ones to start his own political campaign around the time caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced the dissolution of Legislative Assembly. 

Reddy though has several initiatives to his credit that he has started for people of the constituency, a good majority of electors appear to be looking for someone to strike a balance between the middle class and elitist, something like what late P Janardhan Reddy (PJR)  pulled off for 30 long years in Khairatabad constituency.

“We never saw the MLA in these four years. Only two days ago he came here and campaigned and had a look at the overflowing sewage,” says Pawan Valmiki, a resident of Anand Nagar, as he points at the statue of PJR propped in front of his locality. “We were young at that time, but clearly remember that he came here regularly and got the municipality to fix all the drains in monsoon,” he adds.

A similar sentiment prevails across the other bastis in the constituency who await their turn for regularising their houses as per G.O M.S no 58. “Over 40 per cent homes have been regularised, but 60 per cent are still left. We never found support from the BJP MLA, but trust that TRS will support us through this,” noted Syed Naveed, leader of Singada Kunta Basti with over 500-800 households in Banjara hills.

The leaders well versed with the locality too opine that basti regularisation will be a major point of contention. “It is a bigger constituency and the people will go for someone who can coordinate with both the VVIPs and BPL voters. A major issue, however, would be the slum regularisation which is yet to be implemented in many bastis,” noted Vijaya Reddy, corporator of Khairatabad and daughter of late leader PJR. 

Despite the anti-incumbency around the sitting MLA, the mood in urban pockets is rather lukewarm and immune to the whole political play unfolding. Here, drainage issues seems to be the only major worry. 
“The politicians rarely come here because most people don’t turn up to vote or are not residents from here,” says Mohammed Ruknuddin from Narayanguda.

The area, for a long time, has been plagued with issues of illegal hostel establishments and multiple unregistered colleges and schools.  “Hum BJP ke sath hai. Na kisi ko fayda kare, na kisi ka nuksaan. Toh sab khush hi rahe” (We are with BJP. They did not do anything good but neither did they harm anyone). However, repeated attempts by Express to reach Ramachandra Reddy failed.

Khairatabad constituency
Total voters in 2014: 2,68,683
Voter turnout: 53.54% (1,43,865)
Winner in last term 
Chintala Rama Chandra Reddy (BJP)
Victory margin: 53,102 (36%)
Total voters in 2018: 2,56,881
Total polling station in 2018: 237
Total candidates in 2018: 33
Major Candidates in fray
Chintala Rama Chandra Reddy: BJP
Dasoju Sravan Kumar: INC
Nagendar Danam: TRS

Major localities
Banjara Hills, BS Maqta and MS Maqta, Khairatabad, Narayanaguda, Himayatnagar, King Koti, Somajiguda, Panjagutta, Hyderguda, Lakadi ka Pul, Raj Bhavan Road, Basheerbagh
Major issues 
Underground drainage system, mixing of sewage in drinking water in some areas, Basti regularisation among other issues. 

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