Former bureaucrat sets out to sweep Malkajigiri
HYDERABAD: Waving a broom, Aam Aadmi Party's poll symbol, and followed by a convoy of four cars and jeeps, Chaya Ratan, AAP's Secunderabad Lok Sabha candidate and former IAS officer, campaigned in the lanes and by-lanes of the constituency on Sunday, distributing pamphlets listing out what she intends to do if voted to power and enthusiastically chanting the party's slogans. However, the campaigning was limited to the aforesaid activities and was devoid of any public speeches.
Though the party symbol and banners managed to make some heads turn, being a new face in politics, most of the people of the constituency failed to recognise Chaya Ratan or the work she did while serving as an IAS officer.
A mechanic at Parsigutta, who was watching the campaigning, said, 'I got to know from television that Arvind Kejriwal is a good candidate but I don't know anything about Chaya Ratan. Had she campaigned in our area and explained what she intended to do, probably I would have thought of voting for her' he said.
Echoing the opinion, Eeshwar, a tailor at Parsigutta, said, 'I had never heard of the party's name before and got to know about it only today.' Asked whom would he vote for, he gave the obvious answer: 'The party which promises to work for people's betterment.'
With time running out for the day's campaigning, Chaya Ratan and company streaked off through the streets of Musheerabad, Parsigutta, Sitaphalmandi, Secunderabad railway station road, Patny Circle and Begumpet, barely stopping anywhere.
But the former bureaucrat said she had interacted with people of the constituency in the past and got to know about their problems.
'Basic amenities still remain as an issue in the area. For over 65 years, people have been busy clinging to power and making money. There is a demand for establishment of government schools. As the facilities are not good there, people from economically weak background are forced to send their children to private schools.'
Listing out other problems being faced by the people of the constituency, the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency said that voters were vexed with the state of political affairs in the constituency.
News Posted: 21 April, 2014
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