Public discontent, internal squabbles make Congress jittery over local body elections

For the past few months, there has been ongoing speculation about the local body elections. Initially, it was anticipated that panchayat elections would take place shortly after Diwali last year, but they were later postponed to Sankranthi.

Hyderabad: The Congress government, which was planning to capitalise in a big way by launching four schemes ahead of the local body elections, is now jittery about conducting the polls considering different factors, especially the people’s ire, which was evident at the Gram Sabhas.

Since the last few months, there have been speculations over the local body elections. Last year, it was believed that panchayat elections would be held any time after Diwali but this was postponed to Sankranthi.

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Of late, there has been discussion that the elections could be held in February. Though Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister D Anasuya assured that panchayat elections could be held soon, there is a buzz in political circles that the elections could be delayed further due to a few reasons.

With an eye on panchayat elections, the Congress government is launching four schemes – Rythu Bharosa, Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa, Indiramma Indlu and ration cards distribution on Sunday.

However, the people’s mood, particularly the anger expressed by many over implementation of earlier schemes and questions raised over selection of beneficiaries in the list for the four new schemes at many Gram Sabhas seems to have left the Congress leadership a bit worried.

To this effect, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is also holding a meeting with a few cabinet Ministers here on Saturday to discuss the strategies for taking the four schemes to the people and to win their confidence.

Further, the Congress government had promised to implement 42 percent reservation for the BC community in the panchayat elections. Apart from political parties, which are demanding implementation of reservations, the Telangana Sarpanchalu Sangham Joint Action Committee is also demanding the government to conduct the elections only after clearing their pending bills.

Even as the BC Commission is gearing up to submit its report in a few days, the Congress seems to be looking for different options.

Since it is beyond the State government’s purview to implement the reservations, the Congress intends to field 42 percent BC candidates for the panchayat elections. It is also learnt that the Congress would make an appeal to other parties to field a similar percentage of BC candidates and prove their commitment towards the community.

One more worrying factor for the Congress leadership is the internal differences among leaders. This is even worse between those who joined the party recently and the long-timers.

Arguments and abuses between Congress leaders are becoming a regular feature in Patancheru, Gadwal, Pocharam, Khairthabad, Jagtial and other constituencies.

More so, apart from panchayat elections, municipal elections and MLC elections are also scheduled in the near future. As the annual examinations would be held in March – April season, teachers would be occupied with examination duties.

Considering all these factors, the Congress government might delay the panchayat elections or it could hold the ZPTC and MPTC elections ahead of the panchayat elections.

One thing is for sure that the Congress leaders are apprehensive that any adverse impact in one election could cast an influence on the party’s prospects in other elections.