Challenges and counter challenges
With the schedule for Huzurabad Assembly byelection announced, it is time for leaders to hurl challenges and counter challenges at political rivals.
TS BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar asked Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to accept his challenge to resign if the TRS lost polls. He also said the voters of Huzurabad were very sensible and will vote for party that stood by justice despite collecting money offered by the TRS.
On the other hand, Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy said he was game for anything if Energy Minister G. Jagdish Reddy won the next election. He also offered to resign if the Dalit Bandhu programme was implemented in Munugode constituency represented by him.
Mr. Reddy said the next election was going to be the last for the Minister.
Questions on extension
The ongoing monsoon session of the legislature has been adjourned for three days thanks to the copious rains that lashed the State under the impact of cyclonic storm Gulab.
With the eight-day session terminated for three full days, questions are now being raised on whether the government/ruling party will take steps to compensate the loss. Though the legislature resumed the sitting on October 1, no indication was given on the extension of the session. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao the other day asserted his willingness to conduct the session to any number of days provided members take up meaningful debates. There was however, no indication about the lost days in his reply during the Question Hour or the short discussion.
Hopefully, the business advisory committee will meet soon to take a decision on the session’s tenure.
COVID fears
Intense campaigning by political parties for the upcoming byelection to Huzurabad sparked off fears of upsurge of COVID pandemic yet again. The apprehensions are not unfounded given the reports of COVID surge after the Nagarjunasagar bypoll.
Officials concerned are advising candidates as well as people to follow COVID appropriate behaviour besides making sure that health workers were posted in each polling booth as precautionary measure. Karimnagar Collector and DEO R.V. Karnan has asked senior officials to depute only such personnel who took their two doses of vaccine on duties for the bypoll. Other restrictions like stopping the campaign after 7 p.m. have also been put in place in the district.
(N. Rahul and M. Rajeev)
