The Telangana Rashtra Samiti has made it a cardinal principle to all its contesting candidates to ensure that the beneficiaries of government schemes were shifted to polling stations in the first two hours to ensure that their victory was beyond doubt.
The norm was again reportedly stressed by party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in telephonic talk with some of the candidates on Thursday.
They were told that the beneficiaries, mostly those enjoying social security pensions, would be more than willing to give their mandate to the TRS and the last minute facilitation would only reinforce their confidence in the party.
The party had handed over the details of beneficiaries of various government schemes to the candidates at a meeting convened by Mr. Rao here a month ago. After exhausting pension holders, the candidates were told to focus on beneficiaries of other schemes like Kalyana Laxmi, Shaadi Mubaarak, KCR kits, Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Arogyasri, Anganwadi and ASHA workers.
Even home guards who got a huge pay hike should be brought to the polling stations, the party instructed the candidates.
Candidates told
The candidates were also told to make inroads into the vote bank of rival parties after the assured votes of TRS in the form of beneficiaries were polled. This might result in some friction in villages but it was a risk worth taking, sources quoted instructions from the party to the contestants.
The TRS estimated about 40,000 beneficiaries of government schemes in each constituency. The party cadre approached most of them on Thursday in villages to impress on them that the benefits will continue only if the TRS was re-elected. The leadership also ensured that its polling agents were arranged in all booths. The party was on guard to see that its rivals did not resort to distribution of voters.
Confrontation
Scenes of its cadre confronting activists of other parties on suspicion were reported in several villages. In this context, All India Congress Committee secretary Madhu Yaskhi was also spotted by TRS workers at Metpally.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao and his wife will cast their votes at Chintamadaka village of Siddipet mandal in the first hour itself. His daughter and Nizamabad MP K. Kavitha will exercise franchise in her in-laws native village of Pothangal in Navipet mandal of Bodhan constituency.
Industries Minister and Chief Minister’s son K.T. Rama Rao will vote at a booth in Banjara Hills here.