Candidates belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) have repeatedly been facing the ire of voters while campaigning for the upcoming elections. On Monday, Station Ghanpur TRS candidate T Rajaiah was stopped by a few villagers in Golla Krishnapally, who said that Rajaiah had no right to campaign in their village as he didn’t carry out development work in their village. After clashes between TRS cadre and the villagers, police intervened and detained the villagers.
The same played out on Sunday, when Manakondur MLA Rasamayi Balakishan entered Kandikatkoor village in Illakunta mandal of Rajanna Sircilla district, accompanied by his supporters. However, the campaign vehicle couldn’t proceed further as angry villagers, particularly women, blocked his way.
The villagers accused Manakondur MLA Balakishan of not living up to his poll promise of declaring villages surrounding the Mid Manair dam as flood prone. They also questioned him on what development he did as an MLA, and brought his campaign to a halt. Irked by this, TRS supporters and Balakishan got into a nasty fight with the villagers, and both parties elbowed each other and exchanged slurs. During this, Balakishan showered abuses against the women, following which they filed a police complaint. This is the second time Balakishan faced the ire of voters while campaigning.
Several TRS leaders have lately been made aware of the problems faced by farmers and villagers during the tenure of the TRS government. On Saturday, in Anajipuram in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, the police and TRS workers clashed after the farmers stalled the campaign of TRS candidate Gadari Kishore.
In Yadadri district’s Anantharam village an ugly clash broke out b/w villagers & TRS workers- supporters of ex MLA Gadhari Kishore. The villagers reportedly questioned their elected representative about unfulfilled poll promises and got beaten in return. #TelanganaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/EajGT4ZTHK
— Paul Oommen (@Paul_Oommen) November 5, 2018
The villagers alleged that Kishore did not issue Pattadar passbook — a land registration document — a document which helps farmers to avail benefits like the Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. Through Rythu Bandu, farmers get Rs 8,000 for two crops as an investment. Rythu Bima is an insurance scheme that provides the farmers with Rs 5 lakh insurance cover.
As the crowd didn’t allow Kishore to campaign, the police charged at the crowd and slapped them. Even TRS cadre joined in and thrashed the locals.
In another instance, Pedapalli MLA Dasari Manohar Reddy faced the same a week ago after villagers stalled the MLA’s campaign and raised slogans against him. They also demanded answers regarding the development of the village during his four-year tenure.
However, they are not the only ones to face the ire of voters during campaigning. Even Finance Minister Etela Rajender was met with protests when he went to campaign in Huzurabad, his constituency. #KhabarLive
