MLC polls: Teachers, youth organisations pitch support for candidates in the fray

Teacher unions and youth groups clash ahead of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council elections, with support for various candidates.

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.