Independents, others to make a dent in main players’ vote share

HYDERABAD: Anti-Corruption Dynamic Party, Pyramid Party of India, Jai Swaraj Party, Secular Democratic Congress, India Praja Bandhu Party, Republican Party of India, Samajwadi Party, Forward Block, CPI(U) and BSP — this is a list of parties which are in the fray from Karimnagar and Peddapalle constituencies.


Twelve candidates, including seven independents, entered the fray from Karimnagar, while Peddapalle has seven independents and seven others from recognised parties. What is interesting is the amount of votes the independents and candidates of parties — other than TRS, Congress and BJP — polled in the 2014 elections. They garnered 2,12,213 votes from both the constituencies which could again witness a sizeable vote share going for independents and other parties.

Any change in the share of votes polled by main players and the number of votes received by independents and others on both seats could see a surprise, political observers said. In 2014, 17 contestants were in the fray in Karimnagar. Independents and others polled 98,558 votes out of a total 11,19,450 votes, taking a vote share of 8.87%. Sitting TRS MP Vinod Kumar got 45% and Congress candidate Ponnam Prabhakar 26%.

In Peddapalle, it was no different five years ago. Others and independents received a good 1.13 lakh votes (11%) of the total votes polled. Independents alone got 3% votes. Last time winner Balka Suman of TRS got 50% vote share, Congress 27% and TDP 6%. “Candidates from other parties and independents are educated. Students and employees’ votes are crucial for them,” an observer said.