With the poll day for eight wards of Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) inching closer, political activity has fully reared its head with big names of all parties joining the campaign though the poll code does not allow for any political affiliation.
Friday saw hectic political activity with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) sending out three Ministers – T. Harish Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Joggu Ramanna – to campaign for its candidates.
They campaigned for candidates affiliated with the party hoping to capture at least three wards after members of previous board joined its bandwagon last year.
Not to be outdone, BJP-TDP combine too sent out legislators, including G. Sayanna, N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, C. Ramachandra Reddy and T. Raja Singh.
“We have officially announced our affiliation to the candidates. Legislators including Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattetreya would campaign for them,” said Venkat Ramini, BJP in-charge of SCB polls.
Congress workers crossover to TRSFrom the Congress’ side as of now, former Parliamentarian Sarve Satyanarayana has been the sole notable figure to campaign regularly for all party-affiliated candidates in the eight wards, including his daughter and son who have entered the fray. Besides campaigning, political parties have also been fire fighting to douse crisis caused by defections. The day also saw two Congress workers, who were seen as key cadre members, defect to TRS.
The BJP and Telugu Desam, on the other hand, have threatened two of its members who are contesting elections against the party will with suspension if they do not pull out of the fray.
In response, Returning Officer T. Vittal has asked all the candidates to keep party leaders away from campaigning for them.
Shadow teams“We have also formed two shadow teams, besides the regular election code teams, to conduct surprise checks. These teams would comprise police officials as well to register complaints when deemed appropriate,” he said.
