NIZAMABAD: As polling for the byelection to the Nizamabad Local Body Constituency concluded peacefully on Friday, the buzz surrounding TRS candidate Kalvakuntla Kavitha was evident. Voting took place in 50 polling stations in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.
“Kavithamma will win with a huge majority,” assured Roads and Buildings Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy. He was confident that the TRS would bag 90 per cent of the votes and that Congress and BJP would lose their deposits.
Bodhan MLA (TRS) Shakeel went a step ahead and assured people present at the booths that Kavitha would soon become a Minister. “The past glory of Nizamabad will return now and Kavitha will become a Minister,’’ he stated. Out of the total number of 824 voters, 823 utilised their voting right. Twenty three persons, most of them Covid-positive, cast their votes in PPEs. The polling percentage was 99.64 and the process was completed in a peaceful manner. Covid-19 rules and regulations were in place.
Kavitha visited two polling booths in Kamareddy and Bodhan towns much to the delight of party workers. Though counting is scheduled for October 12, TRS leaders were already celebrating her victory. Zaheerabad MP BB Patil, Kamareddy MLA G Govardhan were also present alongside Kavitha.
Polling at all started at 9 am and it concluded at 5 pm. Officials said two voters used the postal ballot facility. The one vote which was left out belonged to Councillor Guna Prasad who expired recently in Bodhan. All the ballet boxes will reach Polytechnic College, Nizamabad where they will be preserved in the strong room till counting day.
15 Covid-positive voters
Fifteen Covid-positive local body representatives utilised their voting right in different stations in the Nizamabad Local Body Constituency by-election. Nine others who had earlier tested positive for Covid completed their 14-day quarantine. District Collector C Narayana Reddy said 13 voters directly visited polling stations while two others utilised the postal ballot facility.