Statehood in 5 weeks, Telangana voters turn up to celebrate

Hyderabad: People of Telangana on Wednesday turned out in big numbers to cast their votes in the largely peaceful polls as an air of expectancy enveloped the region that would formally recieve the statehood tag in less than five weeks. 

Police also heaved a sigh of relief as the simultaneous elections to 17 Lok Sabha and 119 Assembly constituencies, including ten left-wing extremism-affected ones, in Telangana passed off trouble-free, barring stray incidents. "In 2009, the overall poll percentage (in ten districts of Telangana) was 67.71 per cent. Now in 2014, as per tentative figures, its 72 per cent which is further likely to go up," State Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal told reporters this evening.

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police B Prasada Rao said the polling was by and large peaceful. "15 cases of violence were reported during the polling in various districts so far and cases have been registered at respective police stations," Rao said. Nalgonda district reported the highest voter turnout of 81 percent and Hyderabad 53 percent as per tentative figures. As many as 2.10 crore of the total 2.81 crore voters cast their ballot. "Its a good turnout," Bhanwarlal said.

A total of 1,669 candidates are in the fray for 119 Assembly seats while 265 contested for the 17 parliamentary seats. He said 583 electronic voting machines were replaced on the account of technical problems, which is not even one per cent of total EVMs used in the elections today. Four helicopters of the Indian Air Force were stationed in districts for contingencies even as a strong posse of 90,000 police and para-military personnel deployed in ten districts of Telangana, which would come into being as a new state on June 2, to oversee security.

The polls passed off peacefully in the Maoist-affected districts and there were no untoward incidents reported, police said.

The final figures are:

Nizamabad: 70 per cent.

Adilabad:  78 per cent.

Karimnagar: 76 per cent.

Medak: 77 per cent.

Rangareddy: 60 per cent.

Hyderabad: 53 per cent.

Mahabubnagar: 73 per cent.

Nalgonda: 58 per cent.

Warangal: 75 per cent.

Khammam: 78 per cent.

Former director general of police Dinesh Reddy of the YSRC created a flutter at a polling station in Nadnavanam Colony when he entered with 50 members in a restricted area.

In Suryapet, Nalgonda, a car carrying Congress working president Uttamkumar Reddy's stickers caught fire due to the heat. Bundles of cash were burnt.

A group of youngsters was the first to reach the polling station at City Central Library under Musheerabad Assembly constituency in Hyderabad to cast votes for the first time.

"It's thrilling," exclaimed Pratyusha, an engineering student, after she got her right index finger inked upon casting her first vote.

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State Governor E S L Narasimhan and his spouse Vimala Narasimhan reached the Raj Nagar polling station at M S Maktha, opposite the Raj Bhavan, to cast their votes.

State Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal cast his vote at the polling station at IAS Officers Colony.

Polling is being held simultaneously for 119 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

As many as 2.81 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise this election.

A total of 1,669 candidates are in the fray for 119 Assembly seats while 265 are contesting for the 17 parliamentary seats across Telangana.

(Read: Nota is not valid vote, only opinion)

In three out of the 10 Left Wing Extremism-affected Assembly constituencies in the region, polling will was held till 4 pm while in the other seven it concluded at 5 pm.

In the remaining 109 segments, polling ended at 6 pm, according to the Chief Electoral Officer.

Four helicopters of the Indian Air Force were stationed in districts for contingencies even as a strong posse of 90,000 police and para-military personnel has been deployed in ten districts of Telangana to oversee security.

Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Telugu Desam-Bharatiya Janata Party combine are the main contenders for power in what will be the 29th state of Indian Union. Prominent among those seeking election to Lok Sabha are Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy (who is probably fighting his last election), TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, his daughter Kavitha, Lok Satta Party president N Jayaprakash Narayan, former DGP V Dinesh Reddy, former IAS officer M Chaya Ratan, CPI state secretary K Narayana and Majlis chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The TRS head, who intends to become the first chief minister of Telangana state, is also contesting the Assembly election (from Gajwel), while other aspirants like C Damodara Rajanarasimha (former Deputy CM), J Geeta Reddy (former minister) and a host of others too are in the fray. 

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