Telangana: Poll Speakers to Go Silent in a Few Hours

HYDERABAD: Loudspeakers would go silent, jarring DJ sounds and campaign vehicles would disappear from the streets, after the hectic and often bitter election campaign for the November 30 comes to an end at 5 pm on Tuesday, and the ‘silent period’ begins. Liquor shops would also shut shop till the end of the elections.

Candidates along with three persons would be allowed to visit any place in respective constituencies for campaigning. There would be no election meetings and road shows. Election officials, meanwhile, would collect and collate poll-related material and head out to their polling stations.

Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana witnessed a hectic day on Monday with senior leaders from major political leaders addressing people in an attempt to make their parties win the crucial elections in Telangana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, and their Cabinet colleagues and Chief Ministers of  BJP ruled states who participated in election-related events largely returned home.

From the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and TPCC chief Revanth Reddy among others will conclude their campaigns on Tuesday. BRS party leaders, including Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, participated in public meetings.  

While the Congress tried to attract voters and people by announcing six guarantees, the BRS leaders highlighted the Congress promises to cancel Dharani, and three-hour power supply for farmers.  The BJP leaders focused on their promise to make a BC person the Chief Minister if they came to power in Telangana.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Electoral Office (CEO) kept a close vigil on regular issues like seizure of cash, liquor, gold, drugs and freebies and the total seizure crossed '700 crore in Telangana. ECI served notices to Chandrasekhar Rao for making abusive comments, and to Rama Rao for conducting a meeting in T Works.

All district police officers issued prohibitory orders at all polling stations within the radius of more than 200 metres from the polling stations.

The police officials also issued orders asking non-locals to leave the constituencies and districts to their respective places after November 28, 5 pm. If any non-locals are found staying in any constituency by participating in electoral activities, the police would take action.