Ground Report: BRS, Congress target Mahabubnagar residents’ Gulf dreams, migration nightmares

Mahbubnagar: The latest infrastructural additions to Mahabubnagar ushered in the development of the region. They are populated by a huge number of pharma employees working in the Pharma City. Subsequently, many ancillary businesses rapidly grew from the Pharma City and overall urbanisation in the district. However, the businessmen in the city are tight-lipped about their views on the ensuing Telangana State Assembly elections.

In Mahabubnagar, BRS has fielded its sitting MLA V Srinivas Goud, Congress has placed its bets on Y Srinivas Reddy and the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate is Mithun Kumar Reddy.

Small businesses want security

The priority of the region’s many small businesses, which started after the establishment of Pharma City and the development of real estate, seek security of their trade. “We don’t want false cases or threats of any kind in the road to development,” said a pharmacy owner as the residential areas have flung far and wide.

Those who have a chain of stores wish for consistent development and implementation of promised amenities regarding drainage, sanitation and cleanliness. Abdul Majeed, a realtor said, “The municipal councillors don’t have much say as everything is decided by the member of the Legislative Assembly V Srinivas Goud. We have a lot of municipal works in residential colonies which are far from being completed.”

Gulf workers seek aid

With most men migrating to Gulf countries for work, women had to take up managing homes full-time. Most of them are not working and are confined to their homes and streets. The challenge for them is to reach out to their better half in case of calamity or death. GK Rao, who works for migrant workers, said, “In case of calamity the family gets very little help from the local government. We have been fighting for our basic rights concerning the survival of the family. However, we are disappointed with the present government.”

Fears of losing land

Due to huge ventures being announced in and around the Mahabubnagar highway, many small and marginal farmers find themselves in a fix. “The land prices have increased tremendously and farmers are being persuaded with large sums to sell their lands. But after they take the money, they do not know how to utilise it. In the bargain, they are left landless and without work. This is one of the major reasons for the increase in migrants in this region not only abroad but also within India,” said P Bhargav, a local of the town.

Mahabubnagar

The election in the district is between Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Congress party. “People in Mahabubnagar town want a change as they are petrified of the current MLA. They are targeted if they speak in public forums or raise issues, one of the major reasons for people wanting change,” said an activist on condition of anonymity.

There is a large population of minorities in Mahabubnagar and they have participated in discussions and meetings organised by the Congress party. After the declaration of the Minority Manifesto by the Congress party, the meetings reported renewed enthusiasm. But who the voters of Mahabubnagar will choose is not yet clear. People are not willing to openly show their allegiance to any party and say that they will decide when on the day of voting.