HYDERABAD: Even though 2019 general elections are still more than one-and-a-half year away, the state seems to have begun witnessing “realignment” of political forces.Indicating at their likely “alliance” in the 2019 general polls against TRS, Congress and TDP, which had joined hands against the ruling party in the Palair bypoll earlier, despite their ideological differences, have again decided to move hand in hand to fight against the state government. This time, the two parties, have chosen the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) recognised trade union polls, scheduled to be held on October 5, as an opportunity to together take on the ruling establishment.
With the last date of filing of nominations for the polls, which is September 16, just three days away, Congress and TDP leaders shared the dais at Somajiguda Press Club here on Wednesday and jointly extended their support to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), affiliated to the CPI, in the Singareni employees’ polls. TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and others belonging to these three parties resolved to work together for the victory of the AITUC in the polls.
Later, Uttam Reddy and Revanth Reddy called upon the 54,000 Singareni employees to vote for the AITUC in the polls to defeat the ruling TRS backed trade union, Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TGBKS) (Telangana Coalmine Workers’ Union). “We have decided to extend our support to the AITUC in order to defeat the TBKS, backed by the ruling TRS. We urge the Singareni workers to vote for the AITUC to teach a befitting lesson to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has cheated them by not implementing any promise made to them earlier,” Uttam said.
“Neither revival of dependent jobs scheme was implemented, nor the promise of setting up of a super-specialty hospital for Singareni workers was fulfilled. The ruling TRS has backtracked from its promise of shutting down all open cast mines,” Revanth Reddy said. Even as both Uttam and Revanth were urging all the Singareni workers to vote for the AITUC in the election, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy thanked the Congress and TDP for supporting the AITUC.
In fact, as SCCL employees and their families play a major role in deciding electoral fortunes of any political party in more than 20 Assembly segments and 5 Lok Sabha constituencies spreading across six districts, the SCCL employees’ election is considered by many as a gateway to mould the opinion of voters towards the 2019 general polls. That is why Congress, TDP and Left have decided to take the Singareni election as an occasion to defeat the TRS backed trade union.
What Revanth said
Interestingly, this development took place exactly two days after TDP leader Revanth’s announcement that his party would not continue its alliance with BJP in state in coming days, “If BJP national leaders continue their habit of praising the policies of the state government, during their visits to Hyderabad”