The electoral fate of candidates, including BRS Working President and Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, in the upcoming November 30 Assembly polls hinges on the Sircilla textile industry flourishing at Rs 1,000 crore and sustaining over 18,000 families. Transforming from a distressing backdrop of weavers’ suicides to a thriving hub, Sircilla credits the state government’s unwavering support, exemplified by the distribution of free sarees during the Bathukamma festival.
Situated along the Maneru River, Sircilla, approximately 170 km from the capital, boasts the moniker “textile town” due to its multitude of power looms, textile processing, and dyeing units. The narrative has shifted under Rama Rao’s leadership, with reverse migration witnessed as the weaver community experiences ample employment opportunities, attracting laborers from other states.
Konduru Ravinder Rao, overseeing the BRS campaign in the region, attributes this turnaround to Rama Rao’s leadership, terming him a four-time MLA who has transformed the fortunes of Sircilla. Efforts are underway to provide livelihood opportunities to around 10,000 beedi workers in the newly established Apparel Park Sircilla.
In the electoral arena, Rama Rao, elected first in 2009 and subsequently in 2014 and 2018, faces competition from KK Mahender Reddy of the Congress and Rani Rudrama of the BJP. Rama Rao alleges that Reddy only shows up during elections, while Reddy contends that Rama Rao has failed to fulfill promises related to infrastructure development.
BJP candidate Rudrama expresses confidence in her electoral prospects, criticizing Rama Rao for inadequate civic infrastructure and accusing him of absenteeism in the constituency. She pledges to ensure the effective implementation of government schemes and advocates for the creation of a “powerloom cluster” in the constituency if elected as a legislator.
