During the afternoons, as one traverses nearly halfway across the Nayani Narasimha Reddy steel flyover towards Vidya Nagar, they’re likely to spot political campaign vehicles parked in the NTR Stadium below. This signifies the impact of Telangana’s relentless heatwave on politicians’ campaigning schedules for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Contesting candidates have opted to conduct their campaigns during the ‘cooler’ early morning and evening hours to avoid the scorching heat. This adjustment isn’t limited to candidates in Hyderabad and its neighbourhood but extends throughout the state. In April, certain regions of Telangana experienced temperatures soaring as high as 45° Celsius, with an average temperature ranging between 40 to 44° Celsius becoming the new norm.
As temperatures soar in various districts, even the city of Hyderabad is experiencing highs of 38 to 40° Celsius. Madhavi Latha, the BJP candidate from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency expressed her determination despite the adverse conditions. “I am exposed to the sun just like any common labourer. As a woman, it’s challenging, but I’m not letting thoughts of the heatwave affect my campaign,” she said.
Madhavi Latha’s Instagram page, where she shares her daily campaign itinerary, indicates that her ‘Padyatra’ is scheduled either from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A source within the Congress party revealed the campaigning schedule of the candidates involves campaigning from morning till noon, followed by a break, and then resuming in the evening. “Even if the candidates are ready to take it up in the afternoon, the party workers are not in favour of this”, the source said.
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Chevella Lok Sabha constituency, recounted his experience battling the heatwave during his campaign trail. “I started the campaign almost a month ago, and initially, it wasn’t so severe. However, as the days progressed, the heatwave hit me, causing dehydration,” he said. Mr. Reddy starts his campaigning around 8.30 a.m. everyday.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Reddy mentioned his precautionary measures of carrying Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and water. “More than just the loss of water, some individuals also experience a depletion of salts. When we engage with the common people, we realise they are enduring the same heat as we are,” Mr. Reddy said.
