HUZURNAGAR: With the outcome of the Huzurnagar Assembly byelection being a matter of prestige for both Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the parties are leaving no stone unturned to win the battle. While Congress is determined to retain the seat, the ruling TRS is pulling out all steps to hoist the pink flag for the first time in Huzurnagar. As part of the endeavour, both the main contenders have now adopted a ‘divide and organise’ policy. They are dividing the voters by their caste and religion, and organising separate meetings with each group.
Among all the castes, the backward classes (BC) comprise as much as around 38 to 40 per cent in Huzurnagar. Among the BCs, Gouda, Yadava and Munnuru Kapu are the dominating castes. It is learnt that Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy had organised a meeting with the Padmasalis on Tuesday, and has been addressing and scheduling meetings with other castes too.
As the scheduled tribes (ST) are predominant in some pockets, Women and Child Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod has been visiting the tribal hamlets in the region. In order to woo the Minorities, who comprise around three per cent of the segment, Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali addressed them.
Congress too is not behind in this caste-based strategy. It is learnt that MLA D Sridhar Babu had met different cross-sections of people in the last four days. He is luring Vysya and Brahmin voters. Meanwhile, Congress leader and former MP Ramesh Rathod is meeting the STs, and Congress MLA D Anasuya (Seethakka) is focused on SC and ST voters. Toddy toppers association former State president Bandi Narsaiah Goud is trying to influence the Goudas. However, the meetings are not held in public. The political parties are organising “secret meetings with some packages”, admitted a Congress leader.