Telangana Assembly polls: Nearly 64% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm

Voters queued up in good numbers on Thursday (November 30) across Telangana to seal the fate of nearly 2,500 MLA aspirants in the polling being held for 119 Assembly segments in the state. The state recorded 63.94 per cent voter turnout recorded till 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.

The BRS aims to retain power for a third time while the Congress is keen to upset the ruling party's chances. The BJP, also keen on forming its first government in the southern state, has left no stone unturned to ensure victory and had deployed a battery of national leaders and Chief Ministers of the saffron-party ruled states to reach out to the public during the 50-day long campaigning.

The BRS has been in the ruling saddle since 2014, following grant of statehood to Telangana.

Early voters

Union Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, his sister and MLC Kavitha, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi were among the leaders to cast their ballot.

Several film personalities, including Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh and Allu Arjun also cast their ballot.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his wife K Shobha voted in Chinramadaka village in Siddipet district.

Hailing India’s democracy, Kishan Reddy, president of BJP in Telangana, said one does not get the right to criticise the political system without fulfilling the responsibility of voting. Finding fault with the distribution of money and liquor to lure voters, he urged the electorate to vote fearlessly and without being influenced by any inducements.

Noting that he has fulfilled his duty as a citizen, Rama Rao asked people of Telangana to step out and exercise their franchise in large numbers. Referring to urban apathy witnessed in the state earlier, he said, “Only those who show up count and the rest don’t in a democracy.”

Kavitha, daughter of BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, cast her vote in Banjara Hills. “I sincerely request everybody in Telangana to come out and exercise their right. Because when you vote you have the right to question us. When you vote, you can hold the politicians accountable,” she said.

Owaisi, who voted at a school in Rajendranagar Assembly constituency, also urged the voters to come out and cast their vote. “We are hopeful that we (AIMIM) will do well. Now it is for the people to come out to vote in thousands and lakhs and exercise the right to vote so that you reward those candidates and parties who have been working for you, who have great concern for you,” he said.

State Congress president and MP A Revanth Reddy voted in the Kodangal assembly segment where he is the party’s candidate.

Congress said it brought to the notice of Chief Electoral officer Vikas Raj alleged violation of poll code by BRS leader Kavitha by making an appeal to the people to vote for BRS.

Polling began for 119 Telangana assembly constituencies in the 35,655 polling stations across the state at 7 am, with voters queuing up to exercise their franchise amid tight security.

Polling will be held till 5 pm in 106 constituencies, while it would conclude at 4 pm in 13 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected seats.

Modi’s appeal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the people of the state to vote in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy.

In a post on X, Modi said, “I call upon my sisters and brothers of Telangana to vote in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly urge young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise.”

There are 3.26 crore eligible voters, including 1,63,13,268 male voters and 1,63,02,261 female electors, in the state.

The contestants

As many as 2,290 contestants are in the fray for the upcoming elections, including Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his minister-son K T Rama Rao, state Congress president A Revanth Reddy and BJP Lok Sabha members Bandi Sanjay Kumar and D Arvind.

The model code of conduct came into force in the state after the Election Commission announced the schedule on October 9.

BRS has fielded candidates in all 119 seats.

As per the seat sharing agreement, BJP and actor Pawan Kalyan-headed Jana Sena are contesting in 111 and 8 seats respectively.

The Congress has given one seat to its ally CPI, and is fighting from 118 others.

The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM has put up candidates in nine segments in the city.

Security, home voting, and more

More than 2.5 lakh staff will be engaged in poll duties for the assembly elections, Chief Electoral officer Vikas Raj has said.

About 77,000 security personnel, comprising state police and Home Guards drawn from the state and neighbouring states, besides 375 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), have been deployed across the state as part of the security arrangements for the election.

For the first time in Telangana, home voting facility was provided to persons with disabilities and voters above 80 years.

As on November 29, law enforcement agencies have seized cash, gold, liquor, freebies among others all worth about Rs 745 crore in the state ever since the model code of conduct came into force in the state on October 9, an official release said.

The EC has ordered all private establishments, including IT firms, to declare holiday on November 30 to allow employees to exercise their franchise.

The counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, his Tripura counterpart N Indrasena Reddy, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy are among the prominent leaders who will cast their votes in the elections.

CM Chandrasekhar Rao would exercise his franchise at his native Chintamadaka village in Siddipet district, official sources said.

(With agency inputs)