Telangana: MLC polls keep TRS on tenterhooks

Hyderabad: There was an element of panic visible in TRS circles though it had made all necessary arrangements like keeping its flock together by resorting to camp politics and holding several rounds of mock polling when polling for six MLC seats under Local Authority Constituencies took place on Friday.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao personally monitored the polling since morning. All the ministers and ruling party legislators were on tenterhooks as they had to ensure that voters visit the polling booths.

The election also witnessed some tense moments when the ministers, candidates, and workers from rival parties were seen arguing with each other at some polling booths in Khammam and Karimnagar districts. The BJP and Congress had fielded their candidates and a good number of independents were in fray in Khammam, Medak, Karimnagar, Nalgonda and Adilabad constituencies.

According to the Election Commission, the highest percentage of 99.7 per cent voting was reported in the Karimnagar LAC, followed by Medak (99.22 per cent), Nalgonda (97.01 per cent ), Khammam (96.09) and 91.78 per cent in Adilabad district.

Soon after polling began at 8 am, the TRS chief is said to have been constantly calling the ministers and was giving instructions to them on mobilising ZPTC and MPTC members, Councillors and ward members from gram panchayats to the polling booths.

Special buses were arranged from different resorts in the district headquarters and Hyderabad. It may be mentioned here that all TRS elected members who are voters were shifted to different resorts a week back to avoid poaching by rival parties. Koppula Eshwar was made in-charge to see that not a single TRS voter indulged in cross voting in Karimnagar district where the independent candidate Ravinder Singh was contesting and had the support of BJP and Congress. State Transport Minister P Ajay was asked to keep a close watch on the movements of the rival party leaders while polling was on. KCR spoke to State Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy who was monitoring the polling pattern in Adilabad LAC.

In Karimnagar, Ravinder Singh objected to the attempt of Minister G Kamalakar to enter the polling booth along with TRS MLAs. He complained to the police. The two leaders exchanged a wordy duel. Huzurabad MLA and BJP leader Etala Rajender said that his name was deleted in the list of elected representatives in Karimnagar district. He expressed confidence that the independent candidate would defeat the TRS candidate.

In Khammam, Telangana Congress leaders and local representatives staged a dharna in front of the polling booth for permitting state Transport Minister to move freely in the polling booth for over two hours.