In the 2018 election, Eshwar emerged victorious against Congress candidate Adluri Laxman Kumar by a narrow margin of just 441 votes. They are once again competing against each other in the current election.
Published Nov 24, 2023 | 11:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 27, 2023 | 12:48 PM
Since the delimitation in 2009, when the new constituency of Dharmapuri came into existence amid the Telangana movement, Koppula Eshwar has won the MLA seat. (Sumit Jha/South First)
With the Telangana Assembly elections 2023 just days away, South First is bringing you ground reports from key constituencies. This series brings you voices from the ground, the mood of the voters, and issues that matter — as well as those that don’t.
The first light of morning gently bathed the renowned Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple in the town of Dharmapuri in the Jagtial district of Telangana.
At Chand Pasha’s shop on National Highway 63 in the town, locals formed a queue for their morning cup of tea. The 64-year-old Pasha manages a tent house and the tea shop to sustain his family.
“I returned after spending around 12 years in Saudi Arabia and started a tent house and this tea shop to support my family due to physical limitations. Just last month, my son also left for Saudi Arabia for work,” Pasha told South First.
Dharmapuri, a Scheduled Caste (SC) constituency in Telangana, is characterised by a trend where individuals seek employment in Gulf countries due to the absence of employment opportunities locally.
“There is no industry here, so we go there,” explained Pasha.
In the Jagdevpet village within the constituency, Devamma Singam was in the process of drying paddy on the roadside near her house. “My son is in Oman. He left last year, and prior to that, he spent six years in Oman,” said Devamma.
According to the Telangana Gulf Workers Joint Action Committee (JAC), approximately 25,000-30,000 people from this constituency work in Gulf countries.
Despite reports of mistreatment of expatriates from Telangana circulating on social media, many individuals from the region continue to willingly seek employment in the Gulf.
Devamma Singam drying paddy in Dharmapur. (Sumit Jha/South First)
Individuals from the northern districts of Telangana often find jobs as blue-collar workers in construction sites, hotels, or as housemaids in Gulf countries.
“Dharmapuri — like the northern part of Telangana — doesn’t have many industries. People are dependent on agriculture, and it wasn’t profitable in the past. Therefore, they chose to go to Gulf countries expecting better pay and job opportunities,” explained Pasha.
Devamma added, “Here, no one is educated enough for a white-collar job. They have to get their daughters married, build houses, or educate their children, and all of these require money. That is why they choose to work in the Gulf countries.”
While Devamma acknowledged improvements in their situation over the last decade with better agricultural output, she emphasised the need for additional income for various family needs.
Pasha highlighted the challenges faced by workers in Gulf countries, ranging from being deceived by travel agents to illegal confinement by employers and even ending up behind bars due to a lack of understanding of local laws or working irregularly.
“There are cases where workers go to the UAE on a work visa, assured by their employer, only to discover they are earning less. They leave and find work elsewhere, where the pay is better. However, since they are not authorised to work there, they are locally considered irregular workers or ‘khalivelli‘. This has become quite common in the UAE and Oman,” explained Pasha.
Chand pasha crossing the Ambedkar Junction of the town. (Sumit Jha/South First)
He added that leaving such a place was not an option after violating work laws, and it could lead to imprisonment in Oman. “Many people also attempt to cross the Oman-UAE border, and in the process, some lose their lives,” said Pasha.
So what’s the solution? “First of all, we need local industries where these people can work as well as can earn as much as they do in those countries. And, another we need a Gulf Welfare Board,” said Pasha.
What he means is a body on the lines of the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) Pravasi Welfare Board, which takes care of the affairs of the expatriates of the state.
The Telangana Gulf Workers JAC has fielded candidates in five constituencies in order to raise the concerns of the expats of Telangana, who are said to more than 10 lakh in number.
Four of them are contesting on the tickets of Forward Bloc, including Buthkuri Kantha, from Dharmapuri.
They have quite a few demands, according to Pasha. “At government expense, the repatriation of the bodies of Gulf workers who pass away; provision of life insurance for Gulf workers; financial and diplomatic aid for individuals jailed abroad for various offences; and skill development support for those returning to India.”
In the temple town of Dharmapuri, located just a few kilometres from the renowned Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple, the presence of houses with mud-tiled roofs is noticeable.
Despite the existence of a road median, many shops in the area continue to operate under asbestos roofs, conducting their daily affairs.
Chukka Bhimraj (Sumit Jha/South First)
“We are aware that the town’s development has been rather slow. It attained municipality status only five years ago, and progress has been gradual,” Chukka Bhimraj of Dharmapuri town told South First.
Drawing an analogy, Bhimraj explained, “When constructing a house, you begin by erecting pillars before laying bricks. However, if you set up pillars today and start with the bricks a month later, it would take years to complete the house. The town has been developing in this manner.”
Vijay Babu another resident of Dharmapuri, highlighted a paradox, stating that despite the town being situated beside the Godavari river, where access to fresh water should not be a challenge, residents are still grappling with water scarcity.
He said, “The Telangana government’s Mission Bhagirath scheme, intended to provide tap water connections to every household, faces challenges in certain areas. Issues such as broken pipelines, road construction leading to pipe cuts, and building demolitions causing debris in pipelines are quite common in the region.”
In rural areas, Devamma noted that while tap connections exist, she still encounters difficulties in accessing water at times.
Vijay Babu acknowledged ongoing developments such as road construction and the establishment of hospitals. However, he recounted a recent incident where a child bitten by a dog couldn’t receive the rabies vaccine at the local hospital.
As a result, the child had to be sent to a hospital in the Karimnagar district and eventually obtained the vaccine at a private facility.
While the people express contentment with government schemes, their dissatisfaction lies in the implementation process.
Bhimraj, belonging to the SC community, shared his experience from when, just before the Huzurabad by-election in 2019, the BRS government introduced the Dalit Bandhu scheme for Huzurabad, promising its implementation in the SC constituency of Dharmapuri.
“Yes, people received the benefits of Dalit Bandhu, but it was limited to those with connections to BRS leaders. Out of 5,000 SC individuals in Dharmapuri mandals, only a thousand benefited from the ₹10 lakh amount,” said Bhimraj.
“Most of them were well above the BPL threshold, but had affiliations with BRS party leaders. That was why their applications were approved,” he had.
Similarly, from the BC community, only specific individuals received BC Bandhu funds. Vijay Babu noted, “Those engaged in vocational work are the primary beneficiaries of BC Bandhu, not the BC individuals who are even below the poverty line or fall into the BC-A category.”
Vijay Babu (Sumit Jha/South First)
Vijay Babu also highlighted dissatisfaction among the youth regarding job opportunities — or lack thereof.
“There is no job calendar, and even when jobs are offered, question papers get leaked. People who have been preparing for examinations for years are yet to see any hope,” he said.
He also mentioned that only Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, and Asara pension schemes were functioning effectively.
However, he suggested limitations on Rythu Bandhu, stating that everyone — even those with 25 acres of land — receives ₹2.5 lakh, while someone with one acre gets only ₹10,000. Vijay Babu proposed providing subsidies on agricultural products to encourage more savings.
Since the delimitation in 2009, when the new constituency of Dharmapuri came into existence amid the Telangana movement, current Minister of All Welfare Departments and BC Welfare Koppula Eshwar in the BRS government secured victory three times — excluding once in the 2010 by-election.
In the 2018 election, Eshwar emerged victorious against Congress candidate Adluri Laxman Kumar by a narrow margin of 441 votes. They are once again competing against each other in the current election.
Bhimraj expressed support for Eshwar, attributing the progress in the constituency to his efforts. “Whatever progress has happened in the constituency is because of Eshwar. He is bringing funds and will develop it as a temple town,” he said.
“He has promised that within a few years, the constituency will develop just like Sircilla (referring to KTR’s constituency). Even the chief minister has promised to develop this town just like they have developed the Yadadri Gutta temple,” he added.
In contrast, Vijay Babu argued that if the MLA had genuinely developed the constituency, it should have been accomplished in the last three terms.
“He is not capable of doing any more work. He was a minister. He had more access than any other MLAs, but the constituency is the least developed, and people are still going to Gulf countries for work,” said Vijay Babu.
Devamma emphasised the reduction of bus fares. “A year ago, the bus fare from my village to Karimnagar was just ₹20. They have increased it to Rs 30. If I have to take my grandson to the hospital in Karimnagar, interrupting my day’s work, I have to pay ₹10 extra for the people who are going. That is coming from my own pocket. They should reduce the price. Only then will I think about giving my vote to any candidate,” said Devamma.
Chand Pasha pointed to a sentiment surrounding Congress candidate Adluri Laxman Kumar.
“He has contested thrice against Koppula Eshwar. In the last election, Eshwar distributed ₹500, and this time, their people have promised ₹5,000 for each vote. Laxman did not give anything and promised nothing, but he is an old person who works quite efficiently and helps people,” he said candidly.
“The last time, Eshwar won by a few votes. Now, people are looking for change and are considering Laxman,” said Pasha.
