The CPI (M) has chosen to go it alone in the ensuing maiden election to the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) with the poll slogan “Better Khammam” and announced the party candidates for 40 divisions of the civic body having 50 divisions.
Former municipal chairperson Afroz Sameena and the party district secretariat member E. Srikanth were among those who figured in the list of the CPI (M) nominees for the KMC election released by the party district secretary P. Sudarshan Rao here on Tuesday.
“Our party has rejected the offer of the CPI district council to join the proposed “CPI-Congress” electoral alliance for the upcoming civic poll slated for March 6. We have conveyed our stand not to have any truck with these parties and decided to go it alone in the ensuing KMC election,” Mr. Sudarshan told newsmen here.
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Khammam Municipal Council witnessed corruption-free and transparent administration during the nearly four-decade-long tenure of the CPI (M)'s two former municipal chairpersons in the past, he noted, asserting that all the 40 party candidates will hit the campaign trail with the slogan “Better Khammam” to seek support from the electorate.
On the remaining ten divisions of the KMC, he said the party will extend support to an independent candidate Sesha Rathnam in 35 division and take a decision in respect of the remaining nine divisions in consultation with some social organisations and democratic forces.
Taking a dig at the TRS, Mr. Sudarshan alleged that the ruling party was hell bent on encouraging defections from opposition parties and misusing official machinery to derive electoral mileage.
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“A police officer attached to the State intelligence wing is trying to influence the voters in favour of the ruling party ahead of the civic poll in the town,” he charged, adding that the official machinery should act impartially to ensure a free and fair election to the civic body.