Cash, booze flow across TS to lure voters ahead of polls

Hyderabad: With the poll campaign coming to an end on Tuesday, candidates resorted to allurement of voters with money and liquor in the poll bound Telangana State. The elections are scheduled to be held on Thursday in 17 Lok Sabha segments of the State.

Powerful candidates from the TRS and the Congress are vying each other to lure the voters in many segments mainly Malkajigiri, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Bhongir.

Distribution of money through voter slips was seen in many areas.

Leaders said that many contestants are desperate to win the elections in many parliamentary constituencies as their political future depends on the poll outcome.

The local leadership in the villages were entrusted the responsibility of luring the voters with money and liquor. In some areas, the parties conducted community feasts as part of appeasement of the voters.

It is learnt that the contestants from the mainstream political organisations were seen spending crores of rupees to convince the voters to cast their vote in favour of their parties in Secunderabad and Malakjigiri Lok Sabha segments.

Sources said that the election authorities already plunged into action to curb money and liquor distribution in every part of the State.

To avoid seizures, the parties adopted innovative methods to give money and liquor to voters at their door steps. So far, Rs 55 crore cash was seized by the police and IT officials in the State.