For representational purposes
For representational purposes

D-day today: Make your vote count

This is the first time polls are being held in divided AP after Telangana was formed in 2014.
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VIJAYAWADA: A three-cornered contest is on the cards with the ruling TDP, Opposition YSRC and Jana Sena Party, the new entrant into the State political arena, floated by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, fighting it out in the fray for Thursday’s elections to the 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. The two national parties -- the Congress and the BJP -- are out to prove their existence rather than give a fight for top honours. This is the first time polls are being held in divided AP after Telangana was formed in 2014.

A total of 3,93,45,717 electors -- 1,94,62,339 male, 1,98,79,421 female and 3,957 third gender -- will decide the fate of the contesting candidates. The Election Commission made all the necessary arrangements for the successful conduct of polls to be held in a single phase.

Though the State is likely to witness a three-cornered fight, the main contest will be between the ruling TDP led by N Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRC. Pawan Kalyan’s JSP, which is alleged to have a tacit understanding with the TDP, has entered into an alliance with BSP and Left parties. While the TDP is fighting anti-incumbency factor, Jagan is buoyant after his 3,648-km marathon padayatra covering the length and breadth of the State.

Naidu and Jagan made all out efforts to get an upper hand over each other besides leading a high-pitched campaign in the State. The TDP and YSRC also left no chance to poach leaders from each other to strengthen their positions.

It’s code violation: YSRC

The YSRC faulted Naidu for staging a protest at the CEO’s office. YSRC leaders, terming Naidu’s move as poll code violation and amounts to intimidation, submitted a memorandum to the CEO seeking action against him.

Naidu blasts EC, CEO

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday submitted a representation to CEO Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, deploring the ‘unilateral’ decisions of the poll body and accusing it of acting at the behest of the PM.  He also staged a protest.

In their efforts to win this do-or-die electoral battle, Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy tried to outshine each other by doling out sops to women, aged, youth, people of various castes and communities. The issue of special category status to the State, however, was almost put on back burner. Chandrababu Naidu, who wants to play a key role in the national politics, too, roped in several national leaders to campaign for the TDP.

Meanwhile, officials have made all the arrangements for polling. After completion of mock polling between 5.30 am and 7 am in the presence of agents of political parties, officials will allow voters to cast their votes till 6 pm. However, in polling stations situated under  Araku Parliamentary constituency of agency areas, the polling will be concluded by 4 pm and by 5 pm in the remaining ones.
Aimed at increasing the poll percent between 80 to 85 % this time compared to 77.96% in 2014, the Election Commission came up with several innovative ideas this time around to encourage voters to exercise their franchise.

While as many as 2,395 candidates are in the fray for the 175 Assembly constituencies, 344 are contesting for 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State.

For the first time in the State, the EC is using VVPATs to enable voters to verify that they have cast their vote to the symbol of their choice. The symbol will flash on the machine for seven seconds.
After observing that voters, particularly those in urban localities, may not turn up at polling stations fearing long queues, the election body has launched a mobile app, MyVoteQ, to enable people to find out the length of queue at their respective polling stations.

Similarly, special arrangements have been made for the convenience of 5.22 lakh physically challenged and 81,000 visually challenged voters at all polling stations. Apart from making transportation facilities, the EC arranged volunteers, ramps and wheelchairs at polling stations. Two sets of Braille ballot papers are also made available for visually challenged.

As part of security arrangement,  85,000  police and paramilitary force personnel have been deployed for smooth conduct of the elections. Though Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi sent a report to the Central Election Commission seeking 292 companies of central forces, only 197 arrived. Similarly, 61,000 civil police personnel are being deployed. When asked about the shortage of security personnel, the CEO said that forces from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odishave arrived. He said the EC was utilising the services of NCC and NSS cadets. Web recording at polling at all the centres would be done.

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The New Indian Express
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