The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Battle lines drawn for Palasa civic poll

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Thursday, Nov 22, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Battle lines drawn for Palasa civic poll

Special Correspondent

Rebel problem continues to haunt Congress

Tuesday last day for withdrawal of nominations
Cashew nut workers deciding factor in 10 wards

Srikakulam: Battle lines are now drawn for the election to the Palasa-Kasibugga municipality scheduled to be held on December 3. Tuesday was the last date for withdrawal of nomination and the rebel problem continues to haunt the Congress, since only four of the 10 rebel candidates withdrew their nominations on Tuesday and the remaining six candidates remained in the fray.

The efforts of senior leaders of the party to ensure withdrawal of all rebels apparently were of no avail. There are 25 wards in the municipality and the two main contenders viz the Congress and the TDP fielded candidates for all the 25 seats.

The CPI which had tried for a third front earlier had fielded candidates in five wards viz 1, 6, 7, 8 and 16. The CPI State unit secretary Narayana, who had been espousing the cause of farmers in respect of Kambirigam lands located near Palasa, had made efforts for a third front.

Duvvada Srinivas, the ZP vice- chairman, who was suspended by the Congress for his anti-party activities during MLC election, fielded candidates in three wards and has been trying to become the focal point for the rebel candidates.

Campaign

Gorle Haribabu Naidu,MLC and known adversary of Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao was also doing his bit with the sole purpose of embarrassing the Minister.

So far the campaign went on expected lines. Mr. Prasada Rao and Minister for Forests, Satrucherla Vijayaramaraju, the chief campaigners for the party, were seeking votes on the strength of the performance of Rajasekhara Reddy Government in the last three and a half years. TDP MP Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu on the other hand had been exposing the misdeeds, mainly in respect of corruption, of the Government.

He had already organised big rallies and was confident of a good performance. Interestingly the issue of cashew nut workers has occupied the centrestage in the election. More than 10,000 workers depend on the cashew nut industry either directly or indirectly.

According to an estimate there are more than 5,000 voters who could influence the outcome of election in at least 10 wards.

Because of the failure of the cashew nut processing unit owners to comply with the orders of the Pollution Control Board to change from the roasting system of processing cashew nut to the boiling system, more than 100 units had been closed, resulting in loss of employment to workers. The TDP alleges that it was a failure of the Government to find a solution that had resulted in workers losing their jobs.

But the Congress leaders assert that it was the result of directions from the PCB and the Government had nothing to do with it.

‘We are for workers and we have been making efforts to find a solution’ said, Mr.Prasada Rao. It remains to be seen what effect the issue would have on the election results.

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