In what is being seen as a prelude to the 2019 general elections, over 50,000 employees of the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will cast their votes on Friday in the election for identification of recognised trade union in the public sector undertaking. The elections are being seen as a reflection of people's mood in north Telangana, considered a TRS citadel.

The coal mines of SCCL are spread in six districts of Telangana. It had produced over 61 million tonnes of coal last year. As many as 92 polling booths have been set up across 11 areas in six districts of the coal belt to facilitate the voting. The polling will be held between 7 am and 5 pm.

In bid to woo voters, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had last week promised jobs to dependents of employees on “compassionate grounds”. With jobs to the dependents of employees being struck down by courts, Rao said such jobs would be given on “compassionate grounds” and that legal advice was being obtained on the matter

Interestingly, the trade unions affiliated to opposition Congress and TDP have joined hands for the poll and some leaders of the two parties have campaigned together. The main contest would be between Telangana Boggu Ghani Karmika Sangham (TGBKS), affiliated to the ruling TRS, and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), affiliated to CPI, supported by national trade unions such as Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) of Congress, Telugu Nadu Trade Union Council (TNTUC) of Telugu Desam Party, and Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

In bid to woo voters, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had last week promised jobs to dependents of employees on "compassionate grounds". With jobs to the dependents of employees being struck down by courts, Rao said such jobs would be given on "compassionate grounds" and that legal advice was being obtained on the matter.