HYDERABAD: A high-octane campaign by political parties for the May 13 Lok Sabha polls in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh ended at 6 PM on Saturday.
In Telangana, the Election Commission has also made arrangements to conduct a bypoll for the Secunderabad (Cantonment) Assembly seat to be held on May 13.
Earlier in the day, State Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana Vikas Raj at a press conference said all election campaigns including public meetings have to come to a halt after 6 PM today. About Rs 320 crore worth of cash, freebies and other articles have been seized so far, he added.
A press release from Telangana DGP's office said over 73,000 civil police, 500 sections of the state special police, 164 companies of central armed police forces, three companies of Tamil Nadu police, 2,088 officials from other departments and 7,000 home guards are deployed as part of security measures.
All vehicles carrying EVMs and VVPATs are fitted with GPS systems and provided invariably with armed security by Central forces, a press release from the CEO said today.
Over 3. 31 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise in 35,356 polling stations across the state.
As many as 625 candidates, including Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, the party's national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar and senior leader Etala Rajender are among the saffron party candidates while the Congress fielded among others, BRS turncoats Danam Nagender and K Kavya.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking re-election from the party's bastion of Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency and the BJP has fielded a political novice but enthusiastic K Madhavi Latha who has begun a spirited campaign.
The former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar and sitting MP Nama Nageswar Rao, among others, are in the poll fray from former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS.
Coming to Andhra Pradesh, as many as 503 candidates are in the fray for Lok Sabha and 2,705 for Assembly polls, according to State Chief Electoral Officer MK Meena.
The total number of voters in the southern state is 4. 41 crore, which includes 2. 02 crore male, 2. 1 crore female, 3,421 third gender voters and 68,185 service electors.
YSRCP president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendla), TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam) and Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram), among others, are in the Assembly poll race.
Andhra Pradesh Congress president and Jagan's sister YS Sharmila (Kadapa) and BJP state chief Purandeswari (Rajamahendravaram), among others, are in Lok Sabha poll fray.
The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4 nationwide.
Campaign war
Other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several union ministers including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Mallikrajun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy undertook poll campaigns for their respective party candidates in Telangana.
The Congress campaign centered around reservations for SC, ST and OBC alleging that BJP, if voted to power at the Centre again, will try to abolish quota for the above sections.
It also highlighted that the Congress government in Telangana implemented five out of the six Assembly poll guarantees.
The BJP focussed mainly on how the grand old party allegedly will try to snatch away reservations and allot the same to "Muslims" and controversial comments by Congress leader Sam Pitroda on race and skin colours of Indians.
The BRS campaign, led by former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, highlighted the failures of the incumbent Congress government, besides attacking the BJP on various issues.
Telangana recorded 62 per cent voter turnout in the 2019 Parliamentary elections. The BRS (then TRS) won nine seats, BJP - four, Congress - three and AIMIM - one seat in the 2019 general elections.
In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress campaign centred around the welfare measures that it implemented during the past five years while the NDA highlighted the "failures" of the state government and the doles it would provide, if voted to power in the state and the job creation it would do.
YSRCP chief Reddy and TDP supremo Naidu held several poll rallies across the state.
Other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several union ministers including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Mallikrajun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi undertook poll campaigns for their respective party candidates.
The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state. As part of a seat sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.
The Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.
The YSRCP won 151 seats, TDP-23 and Janasena-1 in the last Assembly polls while the ruling party emerged victorious in 22 and Chandrababu Naidu-led party in three Lok Sabha seats in 2019 elections.