20.64% polling in first four hours in Telangana

Hyderabad, Nov 30 (IANS) Over 20 per cent polling was recorded till 11 a.m. in Telangana Assembly elections on Thursday.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj, 20.64 per cent of voters cast their votes in the first four hours.

Barring minor incidents at a few places, the polling was peaceful and smooth in all the 119 Assembly constituencies.

Long queues were seen at many polling stations in districts while the voting was dull at several polling booths in Hyderabad and other urban areas.

Despite the early morning chill, voters lined up to cast their votes when the voting began at 7 a.m.

Polling at a few booths was delayed due to technical snags in electronic voting machines but authorities swiftly replaced them.

A little over 3.26 crore voters will decide the political fortunes of 2,290 candidates.

The Election Commission of India has made elaborate arrangements for polling at 35,655 polling stations spread across 33 districts.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj, who was among the early voters in Hyderabad, said the polling was progressing in a smooth and peaceful manner.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao, Union minister and state BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, BRS leader K. Kavitha, former Indian cricket captain and Congress candidate from Jubilee Hills, Mohammed Azharuddin, MIM president and Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and Director General of Police Anjani Kumar were among the prominent personalities who cast their votes in Hyderabad.

State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy cast his vote in Kodangal constituency in Vikarabad district.

More than 1.85 lakh polling personnel have been deployed while 22,000 micro observers were monitoring the polling process across the state.

Authorities have arranged web casting at 27,094 polling stations across the state.

The Election Commission has made special arrangements for PwD (Person with Disability) voters at all polling stations. It has arranged 21,686 wheelchairs for them.

A total of 45,000 personnel from state police, 3,000 from other departments, 50 companies of Telangana State Special Police (TSSP) and 375 companies of the central paramilitary forces have been deployed as part of the massive security arrangements. As many as 23,500 homeguards from neighbouring states were also deployed.

Polling will end at 5 p.m. However, in 13 constituencies in Maoist influence districts, polling will conclude at 4 p.m.

Election authorities have arranged a total of 72,931 ballot units or EVMs. Of them 59,779 will be deployed at polling stations while the remaining will be kept in reserve for replacement.

A total of 2,290 candidates, including 221 women and one transgender, are in the fray. The candidates include seven MPs, 104 sitting MLAs and five MLCs.

BRS and Congress are locked in a tough battle for power in India’s youngest state. While BRS is aiming for a third consecutive term in power, Congress is confident of forming the first government in a state which it claims to have carved out.

BRS is contesting all 119 seats on its own. Congress has left one seat for its ally Communist Party of India (CPI).

BJP is the third major contestant in the fray and it may impact the outcome by cutting into anti-incumbency votes.

The BJP has fielded candidates in 111 constituencies and left the remaining eight for its ally Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting 107 seats on its own. AIMIM, a friendly party of BRS, has fielded candidates in nine constituencies, all in Hyderabad. In the rest of the state, it has declared support to BRS. The CPI(M) has fielded 19 candidates.

Chief Minister and BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting from Gajwel and Kamareddy constituencies. State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy is contesting from Kamareddy and Kodangal.

The other prominent candidates include BRS working president IT minister K.T. Rama Rao (Sircilla), finance minister T. Harish Rao (Siddipet), Congress leader and former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin (Jubilee Hills), Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka (Wyra), former TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy (Huzurnagar), BJP leader and former minister Eatala Rajender (Huzurabad and Gajwel), BJP General Secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Karimnagar) and AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi (Chandrayangutta).