Osmania University graduate leaves job to contest for sarpanch post in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Doosa Ramesh was in a place where most people want to be. A post graduate in organic chemistry from Osmania University, he got a job in a well-known pharmaceutical MNC during campus placement.

But the thirty-year-old has left it all and gone back to Thadiparthy village in Yacharam mandal, Ranga Reddy district to wage a battle for the sarpanch post. Ramesh is not affiliated to any political party. 

Located around 50 kilometres from Hyderabad, Thadiparty finds itself in a battle with the Telangana government over land acquisition for the Pharma City project. Many villagers oppose the government’s attempts to acquire land, saying that the rate offered to them are way below market value. 

In November last year, the government issued notification for the acquisition of 415 acres of land in the village. Villagers have submitted representation against the decision to the district collector. Ramesh wants to contest the elections for two reasons. One, understandably, is to oppose land acquisition for the pharma city. Second, to provide better opportunities for youth in the village. 

“The government wants to acquire patta (private) land in Thadiparthy. It says it will compensate us with `12 lakh per acre, which is nowhere near the market value. And if we agree to these terms, we will lose our livelihoods,” said Rajesh.Said Ramesh: “The nearest secondary school from here is located 8-10 kilometres away, clearly a violation to terms stated in the Right to Education Act which prescribes that no child can be more than 5 kilometres away from a school. And, the nearest degree college is about 25 kilometres away.” 

Ramesh said he wants to develop education infrastructure in the upper primary school and establish a secondary education. However, winning the election in Thadiparthy, which has around 1,600 voters is not going to be a cake walk. Three mainstream parties, TRS, Congress and TDP have fielded their candidates. 
Ramesh, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, is currently tending to his farm and trying to get a job as a biological science teacher in the government school. 

He said, “I am the president of Swayamkrishi Youth Organization, an association formed by youth from my village many years ago, with members from all castes and religious backgrounds. I am sure that the goodwill I have earned till now will trump money or muscle power deployed by others.”