The ruling TRS-affiliated Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) established an unassailable lead over the AITUC-affiliated Singareni Collieries Workers Union (SCWU) in two areas - Kothagudem corporate and Yellandu in the election to Singareni Collieries recognised union held on Thursday.
The counting of 49,873 votes polled in 11 areas of the company spread in six districts began in the designated counting centres at around 7 p.m. in Kothagudem and other coal towns on Thursday. As per the latest trends available, the TBGKS was inching towards victory in Yellandu area with a comfortable margin of over 200 votes over the SCWU. The Yellandu area is the traditional citadel of the AITUC.
The ruling party-backed TBGKS has also established a clear lead in the Kothagudem corporate area over the SCWU, which was backed by the trade unions affiliated to the CPI, the Congress and the TDP, sources said. The Rudrampur community hall in Kothagudem region virtually turned into a fortress with a large contingent of police force being deployed at the counting centre to prevent untoward incidents
Earlier in the day, a high voter turnout of 94.93 % was recorded in the keenly contested election of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) recognised unions. As many as 49,873 voters of the total electorate of 52,534 SCCL employees, mostly comprising coal workers, cast their vote at 92 polling booths spread across the coal belt region spanning six districts in the State.
A carnival like atmosphere prevailed across the length and breadth of the coal belt region with coal miners queuing up before the polling booths right in the first few hours of polling. The coal towns including Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manuguru and others witnessed a buzz of activity with the ever-industrious coal miners turning up in large numbers to choose the recognised union of the more than 127-year-old company. The election went off smoothly amid tight security arrangements in the entire coal belt. The SCCL union election this time has turned into a high-stakes electoral battle due to the keen tussle between the ruling TRS-affiliated TBGKS and the CPI’s trade union backed SCWU.
