Bypoll candidates promise the moon

HYDERABAD: Houses to the homeless, closure of liquor shops, healthcare, clean drinking water, better sewerage system, decentralisation of power so that local bodies can take their own decisions, completion of long-pending project...The list goes on and on. Raining promises to solve common man's problems, the candidates who are in the fray for the forthcoming bypolls for Khairatabad, Musheerabad and Secunderabad constituencies tried their best to woo voters during 'Face-to-Face with candidates', organised by the Organisation of Civil Societies of Hyderabad here on Monday.
Displaying their ignorance of some of the issues in their constituencies, the candidates blindly promised to solve each and every one of them 'if they win'.
Responding to an allegation of land grabbing, Congress candidate for the Secunderabad Assembly constituency Pitla Krishna said, "If it is proved that I grabbed even a square yard, I will take political sanyas."
Four-time MLA from Musheerabad constituency Nayani Narasimha Reddy reeling out developments done during his tenure said, "We will continue our fight for the cause of Telangana. The Congress government deceived us by promising a separate state."
Lok Satta candidates from the three constituencies had a common vision. They said till now corrupt parties were ruling the roost, but now for the first time a party which was the representative of the common man was in the fray.
Mana Party candidate for Secunderabad constituency N Prakash promised, if he wins, a flyover at Sitaphalmandi, which has been pending for the past 10 years, and demand for rythu bazaar in the area would be 'definitely' met.
BJP Musheerabad candidate K Laxman said that they were forced into the elections.
To a question on whether BJP would press for Telangana if it wins, he said, "From the beginning, BJP is in favour of smaller states. Our stand on the Telangana issue is very clear. However, it is the national party and not the regional party which can take a decision on the formation of a separate state."
He advised voters to 'compare' development during the period of TRS with that of his tenure and cast their votes.
To a question on huge pile of garbage lying uncleared for past six years at a community hall, which also houses anganwadi school, Lok Satta candidate for the Secunderabad constituency Pradeep Kumar said, "If there is decentralisation of power, local bodies can solve their problems and do not have to depend on MLAs. If Lok Satta wins, the party will enforce this policy."
Rohit Kumar of Lok Satta, who was a software professional, got down to specifics assuring that facilities at health centres would be improved and round-the-clock services would be provided. Slum children would get better educational facilities and employment opportunities for the jobless in the Musheerabad constituency.
However, the main candidates���TRS' T Padma Rao and TDP's Srinivas Yadav of Secunderabad constituency and Congress' Vishuvardhan Reddy of Khairatabad constituency���did not attend the programme.