Colony Associations Sensitize People on Democratic Importance of Casting vote
Hyderabad: A day after the high-octane campaigning for the Assembly polls came to an end, members of various colony associations went into a huddle on Wednesday to discuss measures to be taken to increase the voting percentage and choose a candidate, who can possibly ensure the city’s overall development.
After returning home from work in the evening, many of them, including private and government employees and businessmen met at their respective colony community halls and apartment cellars to sensitize residents on the need to exercise their franchise on Thursday.
There were debates, short discussions and arguments between association members when they debated the campaign trends of the three main contenders-BRS, Congress and the BJP- and the promises made during road shows and door-to-door canvassing till Tuesday’s closing time.
While some associations resolved to back a party that could improve civic amenities in their colonies, the rest wanted to give a chance to other parties as well. Though there were differences of opinion on extending support to the parties, they underlined the need to increase the voting percentage.
“We have already started sensitizing residents on the importance of each vote and the response from them was overwhelming,” said V. Kamesh Babu, general secretary of the Federation of Association of Colonies and Apartments (FACA).
“As part of our awareness programmes, we are especially educating first time voters on the importance of backing the right candidate,” said G. Madhusudhan Yadav from East Marredpally.
On its part, the United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations (UFRWA) has launched a selfie campaign asking residents to post their pictures in their colony WhatsApp groups immediately after casting their vote early on Thursday. The move is aimed at encouraging other residents to cast their vote in the first hour itself to avoid later day rush at the polling booth, said the federation general secretary B.T. Srinivasan.
He said a message has been forwarded to all 48,000 WhatsApp group members from various colony associations in the twin cities on the importance of casting their vote.
Focus was also on north Indian joint families residing in Sindhi Colony, Abids, Begum Bazaar, Kacheguda, Begumpet, Koti and Sanathnagar, among others.
Meanwhile, polling agents of various parties distributed voter slips to residents along with leaflets about promises their candidate would implement on being elected.
