Telangana Elections: Unemployed Youth Campaigns With Half-shaved Head As Independent Candidate

There are just three days left for the state Assembly elections in the state of Telangana to begin. Campaigns are being held, promises are being made and political muck is being thrown around, as is usual before state elections. The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi is doing its utmost best to retain its political power. While ticket holders from various parties will lock horns soon, an independent candidate from a rural constituency of Nizamabad district has been hogging some attention for his unconventional ways of seeking votes from people.

Metri Rajasekhar is an unemployed youth and he blames the state government for his unemployment. He decided to do something about the rising unemployment in the state of Telangana and has decided to contest as an independent MLA from his constituency. But like most political leaders who hold large campaigns and rallies, his campaign is the most unconventional ever. Wearing tattered clothes and his head and moustache half-shaved, he is visiting door to door asking for votes.

Rajasekhar is carrying with himself placards that have listed down all the failed promises of the state government and also a list of promises he wishes to deliver if voted to power. As a Telangana activist, Rajasekhar said that he has fought against lack of education, unemployment and public issues. His half-shaved head and moustache attract instant attention. He is raising questions as to why the state government could not give gas cylinders to 400 people after being in power for 10 years. He is also asking why people are unemployed in the state. He added that his drive is not to secure votes for himself but to make people think carefully before voting.

The term of the current Telangana Legislative Assembly is set to expire on January 16. Following the December 2018 Assembly elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, later renamed Bharat Rashtra Samithi, formed the state government, with K Chandrashekar Rao assuming the role of Chief Minister for the second time.