The tantalising wait begins

Warangal: With their fate firmly sealed in electronic voting machines (EVMs), it's going to be a long and jittery wait for all the candidates in the fray for Warangal (SC) and Mahabubabad Lok Sabha (ST) constituencies. With the Election Commission (EC) holding polls to 17th Lok Sabha in Telangana on April 11, the first phase, it's going to be a nerve-racking wait as the candidates have to spend six weeks of sleepless nights before they get to know what is in store for them.

Adding more to their nerve was the low voter turnout. After the blare of month-long hectic electioneering, it was a disappointing Thursday for the candidates, especially for the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) with the voter turnout remained low compared to previous elections. The TRS believes that it can wrest all 16 Lok Sabha seats, this despite the low voter turnout, however, the leadership appears to have an iota of doubt over the outcome of the polls.

This could be the only election perhaps in the recent past that leaders restrained to lure voters with bags of money. There is an argument that with the parties not keen to distribute money to lure the voters in the Lok Sabha elections, the voters also didn't show that much interest to stand in long queues at the polling booths in the searing temperatures. It's also argued that continuous elections beginning with Assembly polls in December, followed by gram panchayat and Council also made people disinterested in utilising their right to vote in the Parliament elections.

During the campaigning, the TRS has time and again reiterated that gist of their fight is not merely winning 16 seats but for securing huge majority in all constituencies. With the voter turnout plummeting to 63.55 per cent, par below compared to 78.54 per cent in 2014 general elections and 68.50 per cent in 2015 by-poll, the TRS may not be in a position to emulate its previous majority, it's said.

"The TRS and Congress leaders have to bear with the suspense till May 23, when counting of votes takes place.

Meanwhile, they try to analyse the voting pattern in seven Assembly segments with the help of local MLAs. The candidates, the in-charges of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies are already in a huddle to discuss about the voters' mood with more brainstorming sessions to follow. The TRS is sceptical understandably due to its debacle in recent Council elections," a senior Congress leader told The Hans India.