73.01% voter turnout in TG municipal polls

Hyderabad: Except for a few stray incidents, the municipal elections in the state ended peacefully on Wednesday and overall 73.01 percent polling was recorded in the 123 ULBs, including 116 municipalities and seven corporations.

The percentage is likely to increase further as the authorities have allowed the voters who were present inside the polling booths till 5 pm to cast their votes. Tension prevailed in various municipalities with political leaders from different parties were seen arguing with the police personnel on duty.

The polling started at 7 am and went on at snail’s pace during the first two hours. Till 9 am, the polling percentage was 11.16 per cent. The polling gradually increased in the afternoon and the polling at 11 am was 28.48 per cent, by 1 pm, it was 48.54 per cent and by 3 pm, the polling percentage was 62.09. People, including the old-aged and young voters were seen lining up before the polling stations to exercise their franchise.

The ballot boxes were moved to over 130 strong rooms, which were kept under police bandobust. According to the officials, the results will be announced after counting on Friday. The counting will begin at 8 am.

Political leaders including Jagga Reddy from Congress and Dharmapuri Arvind and others were seen in heated arguments. Police had to resort to lathi-charge at some places. In ward number 34 in the Indira Colony in Sangareddy, the Congress workers alleged that the BRS leaders were distributing money and were coming into the polling stations and the police personnel were allegedly supporting them.

On learning about this, Jagga Reddy came to the polling station and had a heated argument with the police inspector. “I never came into the polling stations for the last 26 years. When our party leaders complained about rigging, the candidate was kicked out of the polling booth. Call that inspector, let him come with a revolver, I will face him,” said angry Jagga Reddy.

In booth number 287, the BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind shouted at the police alleging that the party’s candidate was asked to leave from the polling booth. He asked, “How can the police send the candidate outside from the booth?”

He also confronted the polling staff asking them to stop the impersonation and also check every voter removing the veil.

In Division 28, Karimnagar Corporation, the independent Venkatesh alleged that the BRS and the Congress candidates were distributing money by putting a mark on the houses of the voters. “A BRS leader was caught red handed but was released after pressure from the local MLA. We are independent candidates and when money is spent like this by the parties, how can we win,” he rued.

At division 30 in Nizamabad, the BRS leader A Jeevan Reddy objected to Congress leader coming into the polling booth with Congress party scarf. Tension prevailed at Nalgonda when BRS leaders were taken into custody while they were alleging distribution of money by the Congress leaders. Tension prevailed at places like Narsapur and Medak constituencies where the BRS and BJP workers came to blows. The polling was peaceful in other places

The State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini said that except for stray incidents that too beyond 100 meters away from the polling booths, the polling was held peacefully. She said that webcasting in booths would help in transparency checking how the queues were moving.