Using the ballot to bludgeon politicians
Come elections, voters hold politicians to account. When the voters find that this method does not take them anywhere considering the system has become intractable over some issues, the aggrieved citizens are entering the fray, hoping to serve notice on the system.
The farmers of Polepally village in Mahabubnagar district whose land was forcibly acquired by the government to set up a pharmaceutical special economic zone, the slum dwellers of Bhimrao Bada in the heart of Hyderabad whose huts were demolished to extend the Congress party office, and the tribals in Chintapalle and Araku of Visakhapatnam district whose lives have been turned upside down by bauxite mining are determined to use their vote to protect their interests.
Fifteen farmers of Polepally filed nominations for Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha seat to "send a message" to political parties who were ‘indifferent' to their plight. Political heavyweights contesting from Mahabubnagar include Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) supremo K Chandrasekhara Rao and D Vithalrao of the Congress, confidant of chief minister and sitting MP.
The farmers hope to upset the political equations by splitting the votes. In the 2008 Assembly by-elections, the Polepally farmers ensured the defeat of Jadcherla TRS legislator who did not raise even a finger to either protect their interests or highlight their tragedy of being deprived of their livelihood and homes by the government to promote the interests of the fat industry cats.
"No party came to our aid when we lost our homes and livelihood, so we are using democratic means accessible to us to make our resentment known to them," said M A Jabbar, one of the farmers contesting the elections.
Similarly, the ousted residents of Bhimrao Bada slum want to teach a lesson through the ballot box to their tormentors. A Komaraiah and P Renuka filed their nominations for the Khairatabad and Goshamahal Assembly constituencies respectively against Congress candidates D Nagendar and Mukesh.
The Bhimrao Bada residents believe these two leaders had a hand in the uprooting of their homes and so are fighting them.
Members of all the 96 displaced families will campaign for the two candidates, going from door to door to share their plight at the hands of the ruling party and seek justice. They are on their own with no political party sparing attention to their woes. As Renuka said, "No party, not even the Grand Alliance (of Telugu Desam Party, the TRS and the two left parties), has offered any support to us."
