All the arrangements are in place for the polling scheduled for Saturday in Medak lok Sabha constituency of Telangana and Nandigama Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in both the places where votes will be cast from 7 in the morning till 6 pm. State election commissioner Bhanwar lal told the media that the staff, with electronic voting machines and other material, has reached their respective stations. “All the necessary steps have been taken to ensure free and fair polling,” he said.
The Medak lok Sabha constituency is witnessing three-cornered contest between the TRS, BJP-TDP alliance and the Congress while in the Nandigama Assembly constituency their are two major players — the TDP and the YSR Congress party — though the Congress is making valiant effort to make its presence felt.
Nandigama seat fell vacant due to the death of sitting TDP member T Prabhakar Rao soon after his election in May last. His daughter Soumiya was in the fray and sympathy factor had been working in her favor.Medak lok Sabha seat was vacated by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who retained Gajwel Assembly constituency. The by-election is being seen as a referendum of sorts on the first 100 days of TRS Government in the State.
While Medak has 15.5 lakh voters, Nandigama has 1.84 lakh voters. Bhanwar lal said that authorities prevented attempts to influence the voters by seizing Rs 1 crore and 5,000 liters of liquor in the two constituencies.