443 candidates, including 170 farmers, in fray for Telangana LS polls

Over 170 farmers remained in the fray in the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Election officials stated that out of the 503 valid nominations, 60 were withdrawn. Chief Minister k Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha is seeking re-election from the constituency.

Hyderabad: Sticking to their guns, over 170 farmers remained in the fray in the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency from where Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha is seeking re-election, with the withdrawal of nominations coming to an end on Thursday. Election officials said 60 nominations were withdrawn out of the 503 valid nominations.

A total of 443 candidates remained in the fray with Nizamabad topping the list with 185 candidates, they said. Telangana, with 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11. The farmers had filed their nominations protesting the alleged failure of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi to ensure minimum support price for turmeric and red jowar (sorghum) produce.

They are also demanding setting up of a turmeric board. A total of 648 nominations were filed in the State of which 145 were rejected and 503 nominations were found to be in order after scrutiny, a release from Telangana Election Commission said on Wednesday.

A farmer leader said they have been seeking a remunerative price for turmeric and red jowar crops and for ensuring MSP for their produce for the past several days.

On the turmeric farmers issue, Kavitha had earlier said that she had worked hard for setting up of a turmeric board.

"I have introduced private member bill (in Parliament). No government cared for turmeric farmers. Only the TRS government cared for turmeric farmers. The TRS government gave Rs 2 lakh subsidy on boilers worth Rs 4 lakh.

KCR (as Telangana CM is referred to) worked for the welfare of farmers but Prime Minister Narendra Modi never cared for them," she said Raghupathy Reddy, a turmeric farmer who filed his
nomination, said he was going ahead and contesting the elections over the demands.

Turmeric and red jowar farmers have been demanding an increase in the MSP for their produce.

Farmers have been seeking MSP of Rs 15,000 per quintal for turmeric and Rs 3,500 MSP per quintal of red sorghum.