Action sought against camp politics
The Hindu
Take action against guilty candidates: FGG
Forum for Good Governance has objected to the camp politics taking place in MLC elections for Local Authority Constituencies (LAC) from Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam and Medak districts stating that it was nothing but violation of Section 171 (C) and 171 (E) of IPC. It demanded that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) take action against the candidates who violated different sections of the IPC.
Forum for Good Governance secretary M. Padmanabha Reddy wrote to the CEO in this regard on Tuesday.
“Contesting candidates from Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam and Medak districts are organising camps for election of MLC LAC constituencies. The voters are shifted to places like Goa and Bengaluru. They are provided food, drink and five star hotel facilities and other entertainment. One newspaper reported that some candidates are spending as much as ₹50,000 a day on each voter for accommodation, liquor and food apart from other expenses. This type of camp politics greatly undermine the election process. Since last one week print and electronic media are full of news how the voters are sent to various destinations. TV channels showed some Ministers seeing them off,” said Mr Padmanabha Reddy in his letter to the CEO.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists