Political News

Women candidates have outnumbered men in nominations for the February 11 municipal elections in the erstwhile Medak district. Despite 50 per cent reservation, women filed more nominations, reflecting rising  political participation across municipalities. The forthcoming municipal elections in the erstwhile Medak district on February 11 are witnessing increased interest from women, with a large number of them contesting and outnumbering men in nominations. There are 19 municipalities in the erstwhile Medak district with a total of 403 wards. Together, these wards have received 1,657 nominations. Of these, 885 were filed by women, while 772 were filed by men. Although 50 per cent of the wards were reserved for women, the number of nominations filed by them exceeded the reservation quota, indicating their growing interest in  politics in the district.

Party workers were calling all the migrant voters and assuring them to bear the transportation expenditure if they came to vote. With more than 10 per cent of voters from each of the Constituency in erstwhile Medak district working elsewhere in other parts of the State,  political parties’ representatives are making efforts to convince them to come to their native places on the day of polling. Party workers were calling all the migrant voters and assuring them to bear the transportation expenditure if they came to vote. In respect of Narayankhed and Zaheerabad constituencies situation is a bit different with many sugarcane harvesting workers leaving for other places. Policemen are now trying to organise vehicles to bring them back to these constituencies on polling day.

Labour Minister G. Vivekanand escaped unhurt after four vehicles in his convoy were damaged near Narsapur, Medak district, on Thursday. The incident occurred when a driver braked suddenly to avoid a two-wheeler. No injuries were reported. Medak: Minister for Labour G Vivekanand escaped unhurt though several cars in his convoy were damaged when one of the car drivers applied sudden brakes to avoid hitting a two-wheeler rider near Narsapur in Medak district on Thursday. Vivek was on his way to participate in multiple government programmes in Narsapur and Medak mandals. Though none of them were injured, at least four cars in the convoy were damaged.

He also sanctioned two government degree colleges at Ramayampet and Thaudupally, apart from giving his nod to the proposed Outer Ring Road for Medak town.  Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday allocated Rs.195.35 crore for development of amenities in both urban and rural local bodies of Medak district. While Rs.15 lakh each was sanctioned for 469 gram panchayats from the Chief Minister’s Special Fund, Rs.25 crore each was granted to Narsapur, Ramayampet and Toopran municipalities. Another Rs.50 crore were allotted for development of Medak municipality. During the public meeting here, Chandrashekhar Rao announced a new revenue division for Ramayampet. He also sanctioned two government degree colleges at Ramayampet and Thaudupally, apart from giving his nod to the proposed Outer Ring Road for Medak town. He also approved release of Rs.100 crore for development of the Edupayala temple into a tourism spot. Referring to Medak MLA Padma Devender Reddy as his daugther, he said he had always fulfilled her requests for development of the constituency. “One cannot say no to your daughter. I urge people to ensure her re-election with double the majority of previous elections and to ensure further development of the district,” he said.

Gram panchayat elections across villages in the erstwhile Medak district have seen a pattern of power shifting between family members, with husbands and wives swapping roles to bypass reservation norms and retain control,  political observers noted. Families that have enjoyed political success at the village level are unwilling to let go of power, even when reservations prevent them from contesting elections directly. Leaders who would otherwise contest gram panchayat elections field their wives or other women members if the posts are reserved, ensuring continuity of control. Across several villages in the erstwhile Medak district, there has been a clear change of guard between husbands and wives in gram panchayats, reinforcing this trend.