The elections conducted for the Hyderabad Press Club on Sunday reminded one of the recently concluded elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, if one were to go by the campaigning by contestants and the kind of money they spent on it.
For the last one week before the elections, the voters (read Press Club members) were bombarded with e-mails, telephonic calls, SMSes and pamphlets.
The contestants apparently spent money lavishly; some of them even went to the extent of clearing the club arrears of voters and giving them lavish parties. Banners and posters were put up at all the media houses and also at the Press Club.
Some of the members had put up banners and posters with their photographs with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao, as if to convey the message that they have the backing of the ruling party.
A few others distributed food packets and soft drinks to the voters to provide them relief from scorching summer.
So, what is so prestigious about winning Press Club elections, one might ask. It is learnt there is a lot of opportunity to make big money through various means if one becomes the office bearer, besides getting access to free food and drinks. They also get a chance to get closer to the power centre in the name of various activities.
That is why, the Press Club elections turned out to be worse than the GHMC elections!
