No election in the recent past has roused as much interest as the Telangana Assembly elections did for which polling was held on Thursday, 30 November.
As voters turned up at the polling stations across the state, the major political parties in the state — the BRS, the BJP, the Congress, and the AIMIM — appeared to be on the razor’s edge, not knowing who they were backing.
Incumbent Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his wife Shobha Rao cast their votes in Chintamadaka, his native village in the Medak district, while IT Minister KT Rama Rao — KTR — and his wife Shailima exercised their franchise in Nandinagar in Hyderabad.
Pre-poll Survey: Joblessness and price rise are the key issues for voters
‘Lay road for Telangana’s glorious future’
In a message on X, KTR, while refraining from asking the voters to support the BRS, however, asked them to lay the road for Telangana’s glorious future.
“Your vote should fill the lives of the farmers with light. Your vote should lay the foundation for the state’s growth which is already on a fast track,” he said in the Telugu post.
He also inquired about the polling trends with officials at the polling station and chatted up the voters who had queued up. He steered clear of asking them to support the BRS. He appealed to all of them to cast their votes in the interest of democracy.
Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay, however, attacked the BRS and the Congress immediately after casting his vote along with his family members.
He said: “I request all the people to exercise their franchise. The youths, workers of the party, and all others should take part in the election. The BRS and the Congress are resorting to a smear campaign against me. They did not have the guts to face me on a political plane and were instead sending threats. They want to win the elections through backdoor methods, but it is not going to happen.”
Union Minister and state BJP chief G Kishan Reddy, too, had an appeal: “People should exercise their right to vote. I appeal to them to fulfil their responsibility. I want to tell them that today is the chance to choose your government. They should look at the candidate or party, not be lured by liquor and other things.”
Referring to the BJP prospects, he said his party would not need MLAs from other parties to form a government. “We will form the government on our own in the state. We will get a majority.”
Pre-poll Survey: Prediction of an edge to Congress in Telangana
‘Indiramma Rajyam all set to take over’
Congress state chief Revanth Reddy, after exercising his franchise, said that “car” — the BRS symbol — was going to the garage under the relentless pounding of the grand old party.
He said Indiramma Rajyam was all set to take over and dispel darkness in the lives of the people.
“We will form the government with a 2/3 majority,” he said. He parried questions from reporters on whether he was the front-runner for the post of chief minister.
He said at the moment he is fighting the election for the party.
“The captain is appointed after the team is in place. There will be CLP [Congress Legislature Party] which would be asked to elect its leader. But the Congress is going to assume power in the state. I am requesting all of you to come to LB stadium at 10.30 am to witness the ceremony. Later in the evening, we can have high tea,” he said, in reply to a question from a media person.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi was also careful in not making any appeal for support to the AIMIM.
He said. “I request the people to take part in the election process. You have repose faith in the Constitution and strengthen democracy. “People should vote to preserve communal harmony. I wish polling percentage picks up in urban areas including Hyderabad,” he said.
The entire tinsel world was present at various polling booths imparting glitz to the event. For them, it probably was a unique experience to queue up in line as they cannot be kept waiting whatever the occasion. They included Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Jr NTR, Allu Arjun, and Mahesh Babu.
