HYDERABAD: While the focus of most people is understandably on the high-decibel campaign for the Munugode Assembly seat by the TRS and BJP, the Congress is implementing its own strategy of wooing voters. Unlike its two main rivals, the Congress is concentrating on women voters, hoping that this would yield rich dividends in the long run.
As per the final voters list released by the Election Commission, the total number of women voters in the constituency is 1,20,126 while there are 1,21,662 male voters. Knowing well that her victory would be a certainty if she manages to get all the women voters on her side, Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi is visibly more focused in engaging with the women in the constituency
The fact that she is the daughter of late Palvai Govardhan Reddy, who was considered the ‘pulse’ of Munugode residents, is an added advantage. Even TPCC president A Revanth Reddy’s campaign speeches are devoted to women’s issues. During his campaign in the constituency last week, Revanth urged voters to ponder why no woman has been elected to the Assembly from Munugode. He urged women of the constituency to break the proverbial glass ceiling and send Sravanthi to the Assembly where she and Seethakka, the sitting MLA from Congress could raise people’s and women’s issues.
Revanth al so l ikene d Seethakka and Sravanthi with Sammakka-Sarakka, the tribal deities. He also slammed the ruling TRS for not given women a seat in the Cabinet for five years of the first term “I am appealing to the people of Munugode to protect your self-respect and ensure a Congress victory which will be a victory of the people and a victory for democracy,” Revanth said.
The BJP too is trying to attract women voters, and has deployed Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy’s wife Laxmi to campaign, while the TRS has deployed its women Ministers Sabitha Indra Reddy and Satyavathi Rathod, as well as Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijaylakshmi to campaign.