Date:01/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010153020300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Lull in political activity in Adilabad

S. Harpal Singh

Except for bypolls, it was drab for most part of the year in the district

Congress ‘highlights’ achievements in the year
Opposition parties focus on ruling party’s failures

ADILABAD: Politically speaking, the only instance of Adilabad climbing to the top position during the year came when the serial number of this Lok Sabha constituency was changed to ‘1’ thanks to the process of delimitation of constituencies.

Otherwise, the political process was limited to the Congress bandying its achievements for most part of 2008 and the opposition trying to prove the ruling party’s failure by staging agitations.

The byelections to Adilabad Lok Sabha and Khanapur (ST) Assembly constituencies had given the opportunity for political parties here to indulge in serious business amid the political drabness prevailing for most part of the year.

TRS down

These elections saw the stock of the TRS plummeting after it lost both the seats though it had been the main reason for the byelections being held. In the latter part of the year, the local cadres and leaders continued to be confused about an electoral alliance perhaps like their counterparts in other districts.

The alliance between the TDP, the CPI(M) and the CPI towards the year end provided another opportunity for these parties to start electoral politics. The first meeting of the new alliance partners held recently saw leaders from respective camps swearing ‘loyalty’ to a united cause.

Devender Goud’s Nava Telangana Party (NTP) and film star Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam, failed to gain any ground in Adilabad. These parties could not ‘inspire’ senior leaders from other parties to defect and hence the local units give the impression of being rudderless.

‘Nirantara poratam’

The Left parties broke all records by staging over one agitation per day on an average throughout the year in furtherance of their agenda of ‘nirantara poratam’ or ceaseless struggle towards solving people’s problems. Besides constructing several thousands of Indiramma houses for the poor, the Congress boasted of starting the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences at Adilabad and the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Basar.

Also, foundation for the ambitious Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi was laid recently.