NELLORE: Despite a multi-cornered contest and hectic election campaign by the three main contenders -- the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) -- the polling percentage came down, though slightly, this time in Nellore district. The district recorded 70.51 per cent of polling as against 72 per cent last year, according to official sources.
However, thanks to effective steps taken up by the Election Commission (EC) coupled with the political parties reaching out to the people even in remote areas through electronic media, there was perceptible improvement in some backward areas.
In some remote areas, voters from vulnerable sections who were prevented by landlords from exercising their voting right, were also able to come out openly to cast their votes, thanks to the all-round awareness.
This was evident with high voter turnout of 77.31 per cent in Atmakur, one of the backward areas in the district.
Forty-five-year-old Chenchaiah from Brahmanapalli in Marripadu mandal of Atmakur constituency said, “For the first time, I cast my vote. Earlier, we used to keep away from voting, bowing to the dictum of the landlord in the area supporting some party.’’ He added that police came to the area and asked them to exercise their franchise without fear or favour.
Apart from voters from Brahmanapalli, those from the vulnerable sections in many remote villages who kept away from polling all these years, came out in good numbers to vote this time, thanks to the proactive role of election officials.
Interestingly, the completely urban Nellore city recorded the lowest polling percentage of 54.20 while the rural Survepalli recorded the highest 79.63 per cent of polling.
Another backward constituency, Udayagiri, also witnessed heavy polling of 71.53 per cent this time, while Gudur and Sullurpet, both reserved constituencies, registered good voter turnout of 72.16 and 74.90 per cent respectively.
There was 74.09 per cent of polling in the Kovur Assembly segment from where the PRP fielded a tribal woman, Tupakula Munemma.