Telangana Elections: Polling Commences for 119 Assembly Seats Amid Tight Security
Amid elaborate arrangements and heightened security measures, polling kicked off this morning across all 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana. The voting, which began at 7 am, is set to conclude at 6 pm. A total of 2,290 candidates from 109 national and regional parties, including 221 women and one transgender candidate, are contesting for the 119 seats. The fate of these candidates will be determined by the 3.17 crore eligible voters in the state.
For the first time in Telangana, the Election Commission is providing a home voting facility for persons with disabilities and voters above 80 years of age. A total of 103 legislators are re-contesting in this election, with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) seeking a third term. The main contenders include Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, his minister-son K T Rama Rao, state Congress President A Revanth Reddy, and BJP Lok Sabha members Bandi Sanjay Kumar and D Arvind.
This election has gained significance as it could mark the first occasion when a Chief Minister from a Southern state secures a third consecutive term in office. The ruling BRS is emphasizing its performance and promises over the past decade, while the Congress and BJP are vying for a change, promising to end what they perceive as “misrule and corruption.” The election results will be closely watched as they could influence the political landscape in the state and beyond.
