HANAMKONDA : The political battle is intensifying for Warangal West, which comprises Hanamkonda, Kazipet and Warangal. A tough fight is expected between incumbent MLA and government chief whip Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar, Congress candidate Naini Rajender Reddy, and Rao Padma from the BJP.
In the 2018 Assembly elections, Vinay Bhaskar won the seat with a majority of 36,451 votes. He polled 81,006 votes, defeating Congress-TDP alliance candidate Revuri Prakash Reddy.
Vinay Bhaskar began engaging with voters soon after Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced the list of candidates. The personal rapport Vinay maintains with the voters is considered a significant factor in helping him to remain in good stead in the race to win the seat.
Speaking to TNIE, Vinay expressed confidence that the government’s welfare schemes and the constituency’s development would help him remain ahead of his rivals. He also expressed his confidence in the shared work accomplished in the constituency and said that voters aren’t ready to trust the opposition party leaders.
Meanwhile, grand old party’s Naini Rajender said he is trying to highlight the ‘failures’ of the BRS and the impact of family rule in the State. “I am leveraging the ruling party’s failures as a potential path to victory,” explained Rajender.
He has started a door-to-door campaign and spoke about the failures of ruling party MLA and highlighted the neglected areas, particularly those affected by recent floods.
Rao Padma from the BJP said that she is focusing on the Union government’s policies and funds allocated to Warangal for initiatives such as the Smart City Mission (SCM) and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. She criticised the BRS government for the alleged mismanagement of funds and incomplete 2 BHK housing projects. She highlighted concerns regarding flood management and pending projects in Hanamkonda city.
P Sai Prashanth from Ramannapet expressed his disappointment over several pending developmental projects. He said the candidate who convinces voters of his/her commitment to completing these projects stands a chance of winning the seat.
The city continues to face miseries during rains as several areas are flooded due to lack of a proper drainage system in spite of the BRS government’s promise to turn Warangal into a smart city. The existing drainage system in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) is crumbling. Warangal is the second largest city in Telangana after Hyderabad. However, the promise of an underground drainage system remains unfulfilled.
Open drains in tri-cities of Warangal, Hanamkonda, and Kazipet in the constituency are a breeding ground for mosquitoes and source of stench. It must be noted that not even a single double-bedroom house, under the Dignity Housing scheme, has been allocated in the segment.