Though the farming community constitutes the main focus of political parties in Adilabad district, the campaign meetings of leaders in rural areas are not as large in attendance as desired, at least at this juncture. It is gradually becoming apparent that the start of harvesting of crops which will reach its peak in November-December when election to Telangana Assembly is expected to be held, will not suit the farmers’ routine.
“Meetings, which are held either early in the morning or in the evenings after work on fields ends, are also not attracting ‘enough’ number of villagers,” pointed out a campaign manager of a TRS leader in Adilabad constituency. “The crowd at village meetings looks respectable in terms of size only because of attendance of our leader’s followers who trail him during campaigns,” he explained.
“The work driven apathy of farmers and labourers is likely to increase as cotton arrives in markets towards the end of this month,” observed Urade Dilip of Pippalgaon in Jainad mandal in the same constituency. “Farmers would be worried more about the price that their produce fetches,” he predicted.
Farmer Nalla Manmohan Reddy of Chincholi (B) in Sarangapur mandal of Nirmal constituency said even if most farmers harvest their paddy crop by October end they would need to plunge themselves in preparations for rabi season. “Politicians in our constituency are careful in fixing timing of their visit to villages a few days before hand so that farmers can keep themselves free for interaction,” he revealed.
The phenomenon of timing of election coinciding with harvesting and marketing of farm produce, nevertheless, is not a factor that is worrying the BJP. What is worrisome for leaders of that party is the TRS which could lay claim to the increase in minimum support price of different crops.
“We are already educating rural voters on the Central government enhancing MSP, especially that of cotton by ₹ 1,130 per quintal,” disclosed BJP leader and ticket aspirant from Adilabad constituency Ch. Suhasini Reddy indicating that the party will try to encash on timing of the impending election. “We will even meet farmers in the market yards to tell them about the farmer friendly move of our party’s government,” she added.
In the far flung hilly areas of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, most of the poor farmers are least worried about election or politicians. “We are more anxious about the loss to our crops,” observed Rathod Saheb Rao of Lingapur mandal head quarter in Asifabad (ST) constituency as he displayed a cotton plant in his field which showed fewer number of bolls evidently seeking an answer from leaders.