Dalit Bandhu scheme design itself gave some jolt to the opposition parties preparing strategies for the Huzurabad bypoll but the bigger shock was the sudden announcement of the TRS government’s flagship scheme to begin at Vasalamarri, a village adopted by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in Aler constituency represented by Gongidi Sunitha.
It was a typical KCR’s style statement that caught the opposition parties, officials, TRS leaders and even the beneficiaries unawares. He stamped validity to the decision immediately releasing the Government order after visiting the village on Wednesday at a short notice. The suddenness in the visit is quite unusual for a Chief Minister given the administrative and security logistics that go into any such visit.
The Chief Minister has not only stumped the opposition parties that were critical accusing him of announcing the scheme to garner votes in the bypoll with government’s money but also checkmated those challenging it in the court under the pretext of misusing the CM’s prerogatives. Another apparent reason is that the CM has sensed the bypoll announcement coming soon from the Election Commission.
The Chief Minister also had an issue of credibility of the implementation of the scheme. He had to prove it that it was not just an election stunt.
To ensure its success in Huzurabad where more than 40,000 Dalit voters are waiting eagerly would be a little bit difficult while satisfying just 76 families in a small village would be far more easy.
Ever since the scheme hit the headlines, TRS MLAs from other constituencies are facing the heat from voters with sign boards appearing asking them to resign so that the scheme will be expedited in their constituencies. Social media is abuzz with demands and memes on the same. The announcement would also dilute it a bit.
Officials say they won’t be surprised if the Chief Minister adds a few more villages to the scheme before finally launching it in a big way in Huzurabad on August 16 as announced earlier. “It will also lessen the likely heartburn among other eligible Dalit families in other constituencies,” an official said.
TRS leaders are unwilling to accept it as a strategy emerging from the fear of political and legal obstacles.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA from Aler constituency, Gongidi Sunita, revealed that the CM had enquired about implementing the scheme from Vasalamarri ever since he adopted the village. However, the scheme was under a different name – Dalita Chaitnya Jyothi — when the CM originally thought of it. “So there is no surprise.”
Congress spokesperson, Shravan Dasoju, however, doesn’t accept it as a clever strategy and says it reflected Chief Minister’s fear of Huzurabad elections outcome. “He is desperate to win at any cost and was apprehensive of courts or Election Commission questioning the motive of launching Dalit Bandhu from a constituency going for bypoll,” he argued.
The Centre for Good Governance has already taken up the issue at various levels asking them to stop the government from implementing the scheme in Huzurabad but it had no objection in other constituencies. It says the motive was clear when KCR himself argued that there was nothing wrong in governments taking political mileage from the schemes.
