Cong optimistic of gains in LS polls

Hyderabad: Congress leaders closely monitored polling across the State from its control room on Thursday. It was intended to coordinate with the party activists to ensure that Congress voters exercise their franchise without a hitch.

The control room, which was set up at the Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, received just one complaint and it was addressed immediately.

Control room in-charge Allam Bhaskar told The Hans India that the Congress poll agents of Banswada Assembly segment had complained that they were not allowed into the polling booths.

He said that the issue was taken to the notice of the party district leaders and it was taken care of. He said on a whole the polling went off peacefully and there were no other complaints.

State Congress in-charge and All India Congress Committee general secretary R C Khuntia stayed at Gandhi Bhavan since morning and monitored the polling. He received the calls from the leaders of the party from various constituencies.

Later addressing the media, he said the Congress would win about 10 Parliament seats. He said not less than 65.7 per cent polling was reported and the decline in poll percentage in the polls compared to Assembly elections was a failure of the Election Commission.

Khuntia said there was no proper lighting in the polling booths. He said due to use of 12 ballot units in Nizamabad constituency, the voters struggled to find their choice of candidate.

On the other hand, Congress leaders of Bhongir alleged that votes being polled to Congress had gone to the TRS. They had taken a picture which showed that the indicator bulb against the TRS glowed after vote was cast to the Congress. The issue was taken to the notice of the Election Commission officials.

Khammam Parliamentary seat candidate Renuka Chowdary visited a polling booth on the complaints from the leaders that rigging had been resorted to by her opponents. She examined the situation there and enquired about the situation with the poll officials.

Several Congress leaders who observed the polling pattern throughout the day expressed satisfaction. They hoped that the party would make some gains in the Lok Sabha elections.