SANGAREDDY: As political temperatures rise ahead of the upcoming MLC elections under local bodies quota in Medak district, both the ruling TRS and opposition parties have started shifting MPTCs, ZPTCs and municipal councillors to ‘safer’ camps to keep them in good spirits and also to prevent them from being poached by their rivals.
The TRS reportedly made all arrangements to shift around 777 voters, including municipal councillors, MPTC and ZPTC members from Medak, Siddipet and Sangareddy of the erstwhile Medak district to a camp.
In fact, the process of shifting these voters has already began on Tuesday, when people’s representatives from the local bodies, along with their families, were taken in special buses from the Medak MLA camp office. Vehicles with local body representatives from Medak and Narsapur constituencies reached Chakarimetla Anjaneyaswamy Temple in Sivampeta mandal, where they performed special pujas.
According to sources, Minister T Harish Rao and MLAs Padma Devender Reddy and Madan Reddy have also briefed the voters on the precautions to be taken during their tours or when they are in the camps.
The sources also revealed the pink party’s plan to shift the voters to Hyderabad via Narsapur on Tuesday and from there to places like Bengaluru, Mysuru and Goa.
While the party MLAs and senior leaders are said to be making arrangements to shift the MPTCs and ZPTCs to the camp along with Siddipet and Sangareddy municipal councillors on Wednesday and Thursday, it is also learnt that the municipal councillors are likely to leave for Delhi by air.
The sources also revealed that the people’s representatives, who are currently on their way to camps, will remain there till December 8 and reach Hyderabad on December 9, where they will meet the party leaders. The meeting would focus on how to vote for the party candidates on December 10.
While stating that the cost of a 10-day outing for these people’s representatives and their families, which is said to be Rs 3 lakh per person, will be borne entirely by the party or the contesting candidate, a source said that Minister Harish Rao has asked the local MLAs to keep an eye on those who preferred not to go on these tours.
It is learned that the MPTC members from a constituency in Sangareddy district are demanding a minimum of Rs 5 lakh from the local MLAs while complaining that they neither “earned” a single rupee since their election nor received any bills from the government for the work they have carried out. It is also learnt that some MPTC members of the ruling party are reportedly demanding Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh to cast their votes for the Congress candidate.
Meanwhile, the Congress party, too, is making arrangements to shift their MPTC members and municipal councilors at local farmhouses. A people’s representative reportedly assured to give Rs 50,000 each to keep them in good spirits till the day of the election.
Keeping an eye on those who refused to tour
While stating that the cost of a 10-day outing for these people’s representatives and their families, which is said to be Rs 3 lakh per person, will be borne entirely by the party or the contesting candidate, a source said that Finance Minister T Harish Rao has asked the local MLAs to keep an eye on those who preferred not to go on these tours