With just a day left for the poll, Chandrayangutta Assembly constituency is witnessing a battle royal. It is a multi-cornered contester – the fight being mostly between the Majlis and its traditional rivals – BJP and MBT. While the BJP is contesting all the seven divisions, the MBT is locking horns in six.
Political pundits, however, do not attach much importance to this. Voters here might get swayed by the issues the BJP and MBT are raising, but on the day of poll they close ranks and plump for Majlis. “We have seen this in every election. And it wouldn't be any different now”, says Hashim of Barkas.
Good support
In certain areas like Lalita Bagh, Jangammet, Uppuguda the BJP has good support. So is the MBT in Barkas, Chandrayangutta and Kanchanbagh. Majlis legislator, Akbaruddin Owaisi, is conscious of this and is concentrating much on his constituency. Everyday he is
addressing huge public meetings going hammer and tongs at his opponents. “He is single-handedly fighting the election of all Majlis candidates here”, says a close aide.
The ‘phelwans' of Barkas who sided openly with the Telugu Desam in the Assembly election, are not taking any sides this time.
The Majlis, however, claims the phelwans are with them. One of them, Saleh Ba Hamed is contesting on the MBT ticket from Barkas. His wife earlier won from this reservZed division which is now made a general seat. What are the issues in these parts?
There are no dearth of problems here starting from bad roads, to pollution and sewerage. But the major parties are mostly indulging in Majlis bashing holding it responsible for the backwardness of Old City. On its part, the Majlis brags about the development it has brought about. Given the apathy of the parties, the common man has sort of got used to living with the problems.
