The battle for Munugode bypoll in Telangana is heating up with Congress being the first party to announce its candidate — Palvai Sravanthi — daughter of veteran leader Palvai Govardhan Reddy. A lawyer with dual degrees in hotel management and business administration, Palvai Sravanthi will also be the only woman candidate in the fray if Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) decides to go with Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy and the BJP with Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy. She is confident that people of Munugode constituency will vote for development and the goodwill earned by her father will have her back.
On issues, which she will raise during the bypoll, Palvai Sravanthi said better roads, schools and colleges would be one, and his party would also work for rehabilitating villagers who have still not received the full R&R package for Shivannaguda and Cherlaguda reservoirs.
Palvai Sravanthi spoke to News18 about her strategy for the upcoming bypoll, which has stoked up political tempers in the state.
Edited interview:
Q: Do you think that people have higher expectations from you because you are Govardhan Reddy’s daughter?
A: Yes, and I plan to live up to that. My father had gone through a lot to serve the people of this constituency. Right now, when I am going door-to-door to ask for votes, I am presenting myself as the daughter of Munugode as I, too, have been involved in development projects while assisting my father. It started out in 1994 when I went canvassing with my father for the first time. I handled all his secretarial work and developed a deep understanding of the people’s aspirations. Though I went on to study different courses, politics was my destiny. My two brothers are also in this field. So, yes, I understand that people expect more from me and I am going to deliver that.
Q: In a recent audio leak on social media, you can be heard talking against fellow Congress leader Krishna Reddy. Did you get the ticket after prolonged infighting?
A: No. If you listen to the clip carefully, I do not make any derogatory remark against the party leadership or any other leader. I was saying how the best person must get the ticket.
Q: Were you selected on the basis of an internal survey by Congress?
A: Yes, but the selection was not based on that alone. Feedback was taken from the people of the constituency.
Q: How will Munugode change under your leadership?
A: I am going to be someone who will work with the people and be accessible to them all the time. The previous MLA, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, never worked on the ground. Though he was a Congress leader on paper, he had set his heart on BJP three years ago. Hence, it came as no surprise that he joined the saffron party. I aspire to work like our leaders Seethakka and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka who are people’s leaders.
Q: Do you think that Komatireddy’s money power will sway the verdict of the people of Munugode?
A: No. This constituency has traditionally been a bastion of communists and Congress party. They are aware and know that money is not going to bring real development.
Q: What do you think about BJP’s intense focus on this bypoll?
A: BJP hardly has any presence in south Telangana. That is why, they are making all efforts to make inroads here. They are seeing this bypoll as a way of beginning their chapter here.
Q: What are the issues you will be taking up this bypoll?
A: There are many development projects pending here. There should be better roads, schools and colleges. There are also two projects — the Shivannaguda and Cherlaguda reservoirs — in which the rehabilitated villagers have still not received the full R&R package. Compared to the Mallannasagar oustees, these evacuees received a pittance. We will take these issues up. Besides this, a college was sanctioned in Chandur during the Congress government. Even after eight years, there is no concrete building there. A model school promised in the same mandal never came up. The TRS government is anti-farmer. Firstly, they are deciding what crops farmers should grow. The market yards do not function well. They are giving free electricity only to land owners, but not to tenant farmers. Earlier, during the Congress government, one could buy nine items from PDS shops, but now, one can buy only rice from ration shops. NREGS is almost gone in the state; 108 Ambulance service never reaches villages. There are a lot of issues that can be taken up.
Q: Why did you contest as an independent in 2014?
A: In 2004, the seat was given to CPI and Congress extended its support. We won the seat that year, but the communist party left the alliance in two years. The cadre encountered numerous issues due to this. That is why when the alliance was formed in 2014 again, the cadre asked to either fight it alone or threatened to leave the party. That is why, I chose to contest as an independent candidate.
Q: CPI (M) has decided to support TRS this bypoll. How will that impact Congress?
A: CPI (M) aligned with the TRS for the first time in 2009 during Mahakutami. Communists and Congress have always fought against the ruling party. I do not know what concerns the high command of the party had, but the cadre is not ready to fight alongside TRS at the grassroot level. That will definitely be an advantage for the Congress.
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