TDP, YSRCP join hands for trade union election in Telangana’s Kothagudem

Unmindful of YSRCP's rivalry with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh, those affiliated with the former are supporting TDP's Telugu Nadu Trade Union Council in the election

Kothagudem: In an unusual combination that surprised many, political archrivals TDP and YSRCP joined hands to win the trade union elections of the ITC Limited Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division (PSPD) located at Sarapaka in the district, which will be held on Friday.

The polls, held once in four years, are held to elect the recognised trade union to represent workers in the company. Intensive campaigning was carried out on the lines of Assembly elections for the last several weeks at Sarapaka, Laxmipuram, Reddypalem, Bhadrachalam, Burgampad and other villages where the workers live.

---

Unmindful of YSRCP’s rivalry with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh, those affiliated with the former are supporting TDP’s Telugu Nadu Trade Union Council (TNTUC) in the election. The trade union wing of Jana Sena and other unions are also supporting the TNTUC.

Though both the parties’ joint campaign has been going on for the past few weeks, a recent video of a bike rally conducted carrying the flags of both parties has caught the attention of the public and has gone viral on social media with many raising their eyebrows at the unusual spectacle.

Debates are taking place among political circles and the local public about how the party leadership allowed TNTUC and YSRCP to work together in the elections.

It is said that when Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy was elected as MP in 2014 on a YSRCP ticket, the local TDP leaders supported him and laid the foundation for an unofficial alliance between TDP and YSRCP.

As for Friday’s trade union polls, TNTUC leader Kanakamedala Hari Prasad is contesting for the union president post. BRS’ Bharat Rashtra Trade Union (BRTU) leader Sanikommu Shankar Reddy is in the fray for the post. BRTU, being supported by CITU, IEU and SC, ST, BC, Minority Organisation, aims to win the election and if it wins it will be its first victory in the ITC PSPD election.

It is said that about 82 Badili workers working in the company are likely to support the BRTU. In addition to that, a large number of workers belonging to the Reddy community and affiliated with the YSRCP reportedly decided to support Shankar Reddy.

INTUC and other unions are also in the poll fray fighting the election independently. As many as 1,253 workers would cast their votes in the polls. The major poll issues are the regularisation of badili workers, setting up ESI Hospital and discounts in fees in the educational institutions run by the company besides ensuring a permanent set-up to address workers’ grievances.