The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : SCB polls: campaigning picks up

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Monday, May 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

SCB polls: campaigning picks up

S. Sandeep Kumar

Candidates hit the road unmindful of the rising mercury levels

Election is more of a personality based contest in the SCB
Quota for women also adds a new dimension this time

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

YOUNG BRIGADE: Children leading the way for J. Pratap, candidate for the SCB polls, during his election campaign at Balamrai in Secunderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: While rising mercury levels are forcing people to stay indoors this summer, the scene is different in the Cantonment area. With civic elections round the corner (May 18) for the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB), contesting candidates have taken to the roads unmindful of the heat and dust albeit in a small scale.

Despite not so conspicuous electioneering, the undercurrents of poll fever can clearly be felt. Unlike other places, here the election is more of personality based contests rather than political parties fighting one another. The women’s quota reservation has also added a new dimension this time.

Record nominations

There was a record of nominations this time with 141 candidates filing their papers last month. Only 26 of them withdrew their nominations later leaving 115 candidates in the fray with 18 contesting from ward number two alone, the highest number for any ward.

Jampanna Pratap, former vice-president and SCB member, who was elected for three successive terms from ward number one, was forced to shift to ward number three due to the woman’s quota. He has fielded his wife, J. Vidyavati from ward number one, his traditional bastion.

Couple in fray

Interestingly, there is another married couple, a newly married one at that, in the fray - J. Ramakrishna is contesting from ward number seven and his wife, M. Anuradha, from ward number five. Elections were last held in August 2006 but they were annulled after the Central government brought out a new Cantonment Act 2006.

In fact, the last elected body which lasted the complete tenure of five years was way back in 1997. Since 2002, polls were being postponed on reason or the other and SCB was run by a ‘varied’ Board consisting of Army and defence estate service officials together with a civilian nominated member.

With the area beset with inadequate civic infrastructure of drainage, delays in completing drinking water project, street lights, proper roads etc., candidates are forced to promise to improve these and much more in their interaction with the voters.

Woes aplenty

On Sunday morning, when Mr. Pratap campaigned in Ambedkar Nagar Basti, residents complained about poor supply of drinking water and overflowing drainage water. “Water is supplied once in three days. Despite standing in long queues it is hard to fetch a pot full of water,” complained Bhagyamma, a resident.

Contestants of ward number two -- K. Tirupathi Reddy and S. Keshava Reddy -- campaigned in Indiramma Nagar, Rasoolpura slum and Annanagar. They too had to face similar complaints .

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