GHMC Elections 2020: 4% turnout jump puzzles politicos

Hyderabad: The sudden increase in the polling percentage in the last hour in the just-held GHMC elections on Tuesday has left the political parties puzzled. Till past midnight on Tuesday, the State Election Commission said that according to tentative figures the polling percentage was around 42 per cent.

But the final figures released on Wednesday indicate that it was above 46 per cent which amounts to the highest polling percentage since 2009. The opposition parties suspect something was fishy.

They say normally the difference in estimated poll percentage and the final figures would be around one to two per cent whereas here there is a jump of over 4 per cent. It is the responsibility of the SEC to clarify, they said. BJP leaders point out the State Election Commission (SEC) had projected a 35 per cent poll till 5 pm. It went up to 42 per cent by Tuesday night and on Wednesday, the total poll percentage jumped over 46 per cent. BJP's GHMC election in-charge and Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy alleged that the entire election process was full of errors and irregularities committed by the state government in collusion with the SEC.

Telangana Congress leader A Revanth Reddy accused the government of misusing the power in the civic body elections. The ruling TRS mobilized the voters in a big number by offering money and liquor. In some AIMIM dominated divisions, the local MIM leaders encouraged booth rigging. As a result, the total turnout has gone up abnormally one hour before the polling time ended at 6 pm, Reddy alleged.

The opposition parties questioned the SEC for the delay in announcing the total turnout. The sudden change in the poll trend, the TRS feels will definitely help the party to win a big number of wards in the elections. However, they are still not sure whether they will be able to retain the figure of 99 divisions they had won last time or not.