Polling staff check the election material, ballot boxes and ballot papers at the distribution centre a day ahead of the Graduation MLC elections in Vijayawada of NTR district on Wednesday, February 26, 2025
| Photo Credit: KVS GIRI
Teacher unions and youth organisations are engaged in a verbal tussle ahead of the elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, scheduled in the State on Thursday.
The Andhra Pradesh Teachers’ Federation (APTF) has fielded Pakalapati Raghu Varma as its candidate from the Uttarandhra Teachers’ constituency. It is also extending its support to the NDA-backed Alapati Rajendra Prasad, who is in the fray from the Krishna-Guntur Graduate constituency, and Pera Battula Rajasekhar, who is contesting from the East and West Godavari districts’ Graduate constituency.
Claiming to be the original APTF, which was established in 1947, the federation’s State president Chennupati Manjula and general secretary K. Bhanumurthy said teachers, employees and workers should not get confused by the statements made by the federation’s splinter group and is also known by the same name Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF).
Making it clear that the original APTF was supporting the three above mentioned candidates, Ms. Manjula said the voters should be cautious while casting their votes with regard to the “misleading statements” made by the splinter group.
Leaders of the other group, APTF (1938), meanwhile, have announced their full support to the MLC candidate belonging to the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) K.S. Lakshmana Rao, who is in the race from Krishna-Guntur Graduate constituency.
The organisation’s State president G. Hridaya Raju and general secretary Y. Chiranjeevi emphasised the need to elect MLCs who have a sound understanding of the issues faced by teachers, employees, workers, farmers and pensioners and who are committed to advocating for their rights in the Legislative council.
They also cautioned against the entry of political parties into these elections, as it may reduce the representation of employees, teachers, workers, farmers and pensioners. “The PDF has a history of effectively presenting these groups, with former MLCs like Marpu Balakrishnamma, who parted ways from the old APTF and established a new outfit and raised her voice in support of employees and teachers.
Leaders of the two organisations representing the unemployed youth in the State, both with the same name, Andhra Pradesh Unemployed Joint Action Committee (JAC), have declared their support to the TDP-backed candidates.
State convenor of AP unemployed JAC Sk. Siddiq and president of AP Nirudyoga JAC S. Hemanth Kumar, have urged graduates to cast their vote in favour of the TDP-supported candidates, as the government had been doing everything possible to address the problems confronting different sections in the society.
Disputing their claims, activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India’s state unit have blamed the government for “not doing justice to the Group-II services aspirants in the State.” The federation’s state secretary, G. Ramanna, said the government remained a silent spectator while unemployed youth staged protests requesting the postponement of the Group-II mains examination. It had not fulfilled its promise on ‘Mega DSC’ recruitment drive even after completing eight months in power, he said, adding that the stakeholders should vote for candidates who are honest, ready to fight for the cause of employment for the youth, those who do not have their private businesses and the ones ready to question the government on its failures.
Published – February 27, 2025 06:05 am IST