Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Cameraperson: Mythreyee Ramesh
In Telangana’s Gajwel, the fight is between Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Congress leader Vanteru Pratap Reddy.
A native of Gajwel, Reddy defected to the Congress from the Telugu Desam Party and has been in news for multiple reasons. Earlier this week, the police attempted to raid his house after they received a complaint that Reddy was involved in illegal distribution of alcohol and money. Reddy and his supporters resisted, with the Congress leader trying to drench himself in petrol, police said. Reddy, however, alleged that the police tried to kill him.
A few days before, Reddy had complained to the Returning Officer about alleged illegal surveillance and harassment. He had to be forcibly removed after he sat on a dharna (protest) outside the office.
In the last four years, efforts have been made to transform the Gajwel constituency into a model town, with the development of a state-of-the-art hospital, integrated marketplace, 24x7 water supply, schools for children from the minority community and more.
Although there seems to be a lot of support for KCR, a win cannot be guaranteed. Why?
- Reddy is a local strongman who has been campaigning since the Telangana Assembly was dissolved on 6 September. He was announced as the Congress’ Gajwel candidate much later. KCR, however, has deputed his Irrigation Minister Harish Rao to campaign for him in the constituency.
Reddy believes that people will prefer a local leader to an invisible one.
- On entering Gajwel, you will be wowed at how many high-end facilities are available in the small town. Its residents also say that they are content. But Reddy claims that just two kilometres from Gajwel, the roads are still not pucca, farmers have not received the promised loan waivers and the two-bedroom scheme remains unfulfilled.
- In 2014, KCR’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi bagged 86,000 votes as opposed to the Congress' 67,000 and the TDP's 34,000. With the two opposition parties joining hands, they may be able to surpass TRS’ count. This is reason enough to worry.
Pratap Reddy spoke to The Quint and answered the questions on his campaign, KCR’s tenure and Gajwel.
Gajwel was a stronghold of the Congress until 2014, when the TRS snatched it. How do you assess these four years?
KCR promised to build houses, allot lands to Dalits and SC/STs, the double bedroom scheme, jobs for every house and water for everybody. But he didn’t do anything. He didn’t fulfil his promises. So people are thinking that because Sonia Gandhi had fought for the status of Telangana as a separate state, we should support the Congress.
Gajwel has been transformed into a star constituency. But do you think there are any schemes that KCR failed to deliver ?
People are not satisfied. The schemes didn’t reach everybody. He has made an education hub in Gajwel but a child at a nearby village needs to walk at least 4 kilometres to reach the school because there are no buses. (It is) Very difficult for a girl child. So people aren’t happy. He constructed a ring road on lands that belonged to the farmers. Then he failed to provide them compensation. For any development, he gets contractors from Andhra Pradesh and Rayal Seema. Aren’t there any contractors in Telangana?
KCR has deputed his irrigation minister to campaign for him here, but you are a local leader. Will your accessibility work in your favour or will KCR shadow every candidate with the development schemes?
The sarpanch, ward members... everybody belongs to the Congress party. TRS doesn’t even have their own people here. They bought people from TDP and Congress.
So will the Hand pull the brakes of the car this election season? Gajwel will decide.
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