Serilingampally may be nestled in the neighbouring Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts, but reflective of Hyderabad in many ways.
Small pockets retain an old-world charm, while several areas have morphed into a preferred destination for families from different corners of the country. It is home to globally renowned firms in the field of information technology and ITeS, a fulcrum of sorts for the growth Hyderabad is witnessing.
All this has meant that the Assembly constituency finds itself grappling with issues that invariably accompany a fast-paced transformation, one whose main trigger is the appreciation in realty prices.
For the candidates aspiring to become MLA from Serilingampally, this translates into dealing with a diverse range of issues and demands, from basic roads, water, sewerage, stormwater drains, ensuring planned development, improving connectivity, addressing traffic woes, creating facilities on roads for pedestrians, rejuvenating water bodies and safeguarding government lands.
Given that the constituency is home to people from different economic and educational backgrounds, striking a balance will be a challenge.
Making their task difficult is also the extant of the constituency stretching from Nanakramguda, Gopanpally to parts of Kukatpally and covering the fast developing areas of Serilingampally, Nallagandla as well as Gachibowli. Figuring in the constituency limits, in parts or whole, are Chanda Nagar, Miyapur, Rai Durgam, Madeenaguda, Hazeefpet, Kondapur, Kothaguda, Madhapur, Pragati Nagar and Allwyn Colony.
This seems to be a factor coming in the way of intensive campaigning, like in the past when door to door campaign was a norm. The vast areas to be covered and the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission has meant candidates of frontline parties bank on appeal of their leaders.
A total of 29 candidates have tossed their hats into the ring for what would be third such election since the constituency was carved out from erstwhile Khairtabad constituency. Besides the BJP, TRS, TDP and BSP candidates, there are 17 independents and eight others are in the fray.
The contest will essentially be triangular with incumbent Arekapudi Gandhi of TRS; V.Ananda Prasad of TDP as the candidate of People’s Front; and Gajjala Yoganand of BJP locking horns.
Mr. Gandhi won in 2014 on a TDP ticket with a margin of 76,257 votes over Komaragoni Shankar Goud of TRS. Bikshapathi Yadav M. of Congress was placed third with 43,266. In 2009, Mr.Yadav had won with a margin of 1,327 votes over Movva Satyanarayana of TDP, both of whom had this time around filed nominations only to be pacified to withdraw the same.
A lot in this election would depend on the voter turnout, appeal of candidates to voters from beyond Telangana who have made Serilingampally their home and policies of their parties.
