An election official arranges equipment at a polling station on the eve of the Telangana Assembly election, in Hyderabad.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: After a high-octane campaign that saw star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Rahul Gandhi among others, the stage is set to elect 119 members to the Telangana Assembly.
Around 2,290 candidates are in the fray. KCR is contesting from Gajwel and Kamareddy. Telangana PCC chief, A Revanth Reddy, is contesting from Kodangal and Kamareddy. BJP's Etela Rajender is also contesting from two seats - Gajwel and Huzurabad.
Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm and around 3.26 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise in 35,655 polling stations, said Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj. Around 12,000 polling stations have been identified as sensitive.
As part of the elaborate security arrangements, 375 companies of central armed forces, 50 companies of Telangana Special Police, 45,000 state police and 23,000 home guards from neighbouring states have been deployed.
BRS is banking on the welfare schemes implemented by the KCR government. If BRS retains power, it will be the third straight term for KCR, a record in South India as no CM from the southern states has got the mandate times in a row.
The Congress is meanwhile relying on the anti-incumbency and palpable anger among government job aspirants.
The BJP had said that an OBC leader would be made the chief minister if the party forms a government. PM Modi had also announced the setting up of the National Turmeric Board, which is a long-pending demand of Telangana farmers.
Punters betting high on KCR
With the elections just hours away, excitement is brewing across the state and the punters are betting on KCR winning the top prize again, for a third time.
Punters from east and west Godavari in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on overdrive for a while now and crores of rupees are changing hands. Until a month ago, KCR was the hot favorite. The Congress made inroads as the election date neared, but KCK remains the top pick. In the high-stakes betting, it is believed that BRS will secure 62 seats, AIMIM seven, BJP four to five and the remaining will be bagged by the Congress.