Congress banks on ‘power’ play

Hyderabad, April 13: The three-day power holiday for the industrial sector which is being implemented across the Telangana region has pushed the Congress candidates into a tight spot. They are now running from pillar to post in the hope of convincing the power department to stop power cuts till elections are over.

The government’s decision resulted in huge lay offs of industrial workers. This has led to considerable resentment among the workers who are now turning the heat on Congress workers.

The maximum brunt is being felt by the Congress candidates who have industrial estates and zones in the limits of their constituency.

To pacify these agitating workers, the Congress candidates are rushing to nearest office of the power distribution company.

Candidates from Kukatpalli, Serilingampally, Patancheru and Medchal have already requested the Central Discom to reduce power cuts to the industrial units as it is directly affecting their chances.

Bowing to the pressure from the Congress candidates, the Central Discom has decided to reduce the cut to two-and-a-half day.

“But, we are not sure that by reducing the power cuts we can manage the daily requirement in the Telangana districts where both the domestic and agriculture demand surpassed all our previous estimates,” said a senior official of AP Transco.

There are about 24 Assembly constituencies where the workers employed in small and medium units have a significant say in the elections. These include Visakhapatnam, Gajuwaka, Pendurti, Kakinada Urban and Rural, Nizamabad, Kukatapalli, Patancheru, Medchal, Goshamahal, Nalgonda, Medak, Mahabubnagar, Tirupati and Hindupur.

Lakhs of semi-skilled workers who were affected with the three-day power holiday for the industrial units are now up in arms against the Congress candidates.

In the Ranga Reddy district alone, nearly 2.2 lakh workers have been laid off because of the three-day power holiday.

“We have requested the power companies to give relief till the elections are over. But they said, it is not possible because of the huge demand,” rued a Congress candidate from the Ranga Reddy district.

While the Eastern Discom is able to maintain power supply with minimum load sheddings, Northern and Central Discoms are struggling to cope with the ever- increasing power demand, leaving the candidates in a huff.