HYDERABAD: Polling in Telangana was peaceful and smooth on Thursday, barring sporadic incidents. However, the voter turnout data, which was available till 11 pm, was less than expected in urban areas. Overall, the state recorded an average voter turnout of 70.60%, while Hyderabad recorded an abysmal 46.56% as compared to 50.31% in 2018.
The poll percentage has left the candidates of the major contestants, the BRS and the Congress, with fingers crossed. In 2014, the overall voting was 69% and in 2018, it was 73%. The silver lining is that it could exceed 73% as thousands of voters were still in the queue around the closing time.
The ruling BRS won almost 90% of the seats in North and South Telangana in 2018. This time, the voting percentage is evidently on the higher side in the North, considered a stronghold of the BRS, indicating that the Congress could be gaining.
The BRS won 39 seats in North and 48 seats in South Telangana in 2018, but this time, if one were to go by the voting percentage in many rural constituencies, the Congress’ hopes are high. Kamareddy, one of the key constituencies in North Telangana, notched up to 74.86%. It is where the state Congress chief A Revanth Reddy is taking on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The BJP candidate Venkataramana Reddy, a strong local candidate, has turned it into a tough triangular fight.
Erstwhile Karimnagar, comprising 13 segments, recorded 75%. This region, the heart of the Telangana movement, is key to the BRS as the chief minister’s son and IT Minister KT Rama Rao is contesting from Sircilla. The segment recorded 74% polling.
Cong hopes for clean sweep in Khammam
In Adilabad district, the voting percentage exceeded 77% in all segments, which is expected to benefit the Congress and BJP. In the erstwhile Nizamabad district, the poll percentage crossed 73%. In erstwhile Warangal district, the average poll percentage reached 78%. The district is a stronghold of the ruling party, but ground reports suggest that the Congress may gain.
In the Khammam constituency, the poll percentage crossed 71% but voters at several places rushed to the booths at the last minute, giving more hope to the Congress, which is expecting a clean sweep in the district. Interestingly, the ruling party won only one seat from this district in 2014 and 2018 elections.
In South Telangana, the poll percentage in erstwhile Mahbubnagar was 78%. Kodangal, another seat from where PCC chief A Revanth Reddy is contesting, recorded 81% voting. In the last elections, Revanth lost to the BRS as did the Congress across the district. This time, the Congress is expected to do much better. Erstwhile Nalgonda district recorded 85% voting. The Congress has a strong hold here, and won two Lok Sabha seats in 2019 elections. Now, the grand old party expects a clean sweep.
Medak, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s native district, recorded 86% polling. The CM’s sitting Assembly seat, Gajwel, recorded 80% voter turnout. While the BRS believes it can win 7–8 seats in the district, the Congress, which managed only one in 2018, is sure of bagging 5–6 of the total 10 seats.
Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad were the odd districts recording a meagre 60% and 46.56% poll percentage respectively. Here, the BRS and MIM are expected to do well with the BJP and Congress giving them a tough fight.
The X-factor: Silent voters
As the polling began at 7 am, the voters appeared to have taken it easy particularly in urban areas. However, as it came to a close at 5 pm, thousands rushed to the polling booths, giving jitters to political parties.
In almost 60 constituencies, the voters were in long queues in the evening. The parties believe these people are the “silent” voters and could well decide their fate. The most worrying part for the parties is that trends were available by the time these voters arrived at the polling booths.
In a series of pre-poll surveys by different parties, the silent voter share increased day by day, across a significant number of segments. It was about 16% in the third week of October and increased by 4 points in the first and second week of November. Interestingly, the number settled at 22% in the last fortnight.
The BRS, which is on the backfoot from the surface view of the public mood, is banking on the silent voters, given that it has good poll management. The Congress leaders, however, say the last-minute vote is purely the silent vote of those who waited for a decision and would swing depending on the public mood.
Counting on Dec 3
After a gruelling poll campaign, the wait for the 2,290 candidates will end on December 3 (Sunday), when the votes will be counted and the results announced