Hyderabad, Feb.10 (RAHNUMA): The stage is set for crucial municipal elections across Telangana as campaigning ended on Monday, paving the way for polling on Wednesday in 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations. Nearly 52 lakh voters will decide the fate of 12,993 candidates contesting in 2,996 wards, with voting scheduled from 7 am to 5 pm under tight security arrangements.
The Election Commission has completed extensive preparations to ensure peaceful polling, while the government declared a paid holiday to enable maximum voter participation. Special orders have also been issued by the Labour Department allowing employees in private companies and factories to cast their votes.
Polling will be held across 32 districts excluding Hyderabad, with authorities deploying thousands of personnel to manage election duties. Notably, women voters outnumber men in this election. Vote counting is scheduled for February 13, followed by indirect elections for mayors and chairpersons on February 16.
POLITICAL WAR OF WORDS INTENSIFIES
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy claimed that the voters were showing strong support for the BJP, and alleged that the ruling Congress was spreading narratives of a triangular contest to curb BJP’s growth. He accused both Congress and BRS of attempting to influence voters through excessive spending, while highlighting Central schemes like Swachh Bharat, AMRUT, and welfare initiatives as key contributors to urban development.
In sharp remarks, Kishan Reddy criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s comments against the BJP, leading to heightened political rhetoric ahead of polling. “In the previous MP elections, people gave 50 percent of the seats to BJP. In the MLC elections, BJP also won a landslide victory in North Telangana. The BJP got a wonderful response from the people in the municipal election campaign. Seeing this response, the BRS and the Congress parties are looking to spend huge amounts of money on voters. If BJP wins the municipal elections, the CM is asking if PM Modi will come and clean the drains in Telangana . I am asking the CM whether he will clean any drains as a state municipal minister,” he questioned .
BRS ALLEGES POLL CODE VIOLATION
Meanwhile, BRS leaders filed a complaint with the State Election Commission against Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, accusing him of violating the 48-hour silence period by allegedly campaigning in residential areas and interacting with voters during restricted hours. The party demanded immediate investigation and strict action based on video evidence.
KEY POLL STATISTICS
According to election authorities, polling will cover 2,569 wards in municipalities through 6,017 polling stations with 10,719 candidates in the fray. In seven municipal corporations, 414 wards have been notified, with polling arrangements made at 2,174 stations, with 2225 contesting candidates in the fray.
The elections are seen as politically significant, with major parties viewing the results as an indicator of urban voter sentiment in the state.
