NALGONDA: Barring some stray incidents, voting in the Munugode Assembly byelection largely remained peaceful on Thursday. The final polling turnout stood at 92 per cent.
The votes will be counted on November 6 and results are expected the same day. Leaders of all political parties are awaiting the outcome of this bypoll with bated breath since its result is being considered the bellwether for the 2023 Assembly elections.
Leaders of the TRS and the BJP accused each other of luring the voters with money and liquor even on polling day. However, for the first time, fake news of Congress candidate Palvai Sravathi and BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy calling on Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao dominated the polling day. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj said appropriate action would be initiated against those responsible.
Minor scuffles broke out between TRS and BJP workers in Chandur and Sansthan Narayanapuram mandals on Thursday morning and in Marriguda in the evening. Activists of both parties accused each other of bringing outsiders into the segment to distribute money and liquor. Police resorted to a lathi-charge against the agitating party workers at Chandur.
Voters in a few villages initially refused to cast votes since they did not get the cash as “promised” by the parties. Residents of Rangam Thanda too refused to vote to claim that they didn’t have a proper road. Finally, the villagers agreed to participate after TRS working president KT Rama Rao intervened. Even after the polling concluded, many voters waited to exercise their franchise till late in the night.
Peaceful polling: CEO
CEO Vikas Raj said the polling was conducted peacefully. He mentioned that there would be no need for re-polling at any booth. However, he informed that they received 98 complaints regarding the overstay of outsiders. “We have sent out 70 outsiders from the segment today,” he said.