Strict security arrangements have been made all over Telagnana for Wednesday’s polling when the people will cast their votes to elect the first State Government along with 17 Members of Parliament.
Chief Electoral Officer, Bhanwar lal, told the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday that 1.4 lakh security personnel have been assigned to ensure free and fair polling in more than 30,000 polling centres in the region.An estimated 2.82 crore voters including 1.37 crore women will exercise their franchise to elect 119 members of legislative Assembly and 17 MPs.“We have identified 11 Assembly constituencies in four districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Adilabad as extremist affected,” he said. In four of these constituencies, polling will end at 4 pm and in seven others polling will be completed by 5 pm. The step has been taken to ensure the polling duty staff to return safely from remote areas, he added.
State Director General of Police B Prasad Rao told a separate Press conference that four helicopters of Indian Air Force have also been deployed as a part of the security arrangements. “90,000 policemen, 158 companies of Paramilitary forces and 59 companies of Andhra Pradesh Special Police are being deployed for the polling duty,” he said. 11 IPS officers have also been appointed as special officers to keep a close vigil on the situation.Police have seized Rs123 crore in cash and 89 kgs of gold ever since the Model Code of Conduct came in to effect in mid-March. 3.07 lakh people were bound over and 28,000 cases of violation of Model Code of Conduct have also been registered, Prasad Rao said.
But the politicians continue to charge the rivals with attempts to bribe the voters with cash, liquor and other inducements. While TRS workers have been caught with Rs20 lakh from Bhupalapally Assembly constituency in Warangal district, YSR Congress workers were caught in Khmmam with Rs95,000.In the intense and fierce election campaign, marked by bitter personal attacks by the leaders of different political parties, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Congress have emerged as the front runners in Telangana with TDP-BJP alliance following at third position. Many opinion polls have suggested that the State may get a hung Assembly.
Telangana region itself looks divided along regional lines. While the TRS is strong in northern Telangana districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal and Medak district, the Congress is ahead in the southern Telangana districts and Hyderabad and surrounding areas.TRS president K Chandrashekar Rao, Union Ministers S Jaipal Reddy, Balram Naik, Sarve Satyanarayana, Telangana Congress Committee president Ponnala lakshmaiah, former deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, State CPI Secretary K Narayana and lok Satta president Jayprakash Narayan were among the key contestants whose fate will be sealed on Wednesday.
Seemandhra region with 175 Assembly and 25 Parliamentary seats will go to polls on May 7.
