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Some displayed awareness of the political situation while many were even unaware of the candidates in their segments

HYDERABAD:  Almost five lakh first-time voters exercised their right to vote on Thursday.  Scanning for candidates and their symbols at polling booths, most said that development and the candidate’s track record took precedence for them. However, many were unaware of candidates in their constituency.

With confusion and excitement writ large on their faces, many of the first-time voters approached polling booths. However, there were little to no arrangements in place to explain the voting process. As friends and family who could guide them were not allowed inside, some struggled, going from one polling station to another within the same segment.

Mohammad Abdul Subhan, who recently turned 18, found himself in a similar situation. Subhan, employed in a shop near Charminar after completing his SSC, came to cast his vote at polling station No. 205 at Rafah-e-Aam High School. He emphasised focusing on the development the candidate has contributed to while voting for the party. 

However, when asked about candidates in the constituency, only the name of one candidate came to his mind. Struggling to recollect names from other parties, he mentioned, “Some woman is contesting from the BRS and someone else from the Congress.” He also spoke of the need for a change in government citing a perceived lack of development, particularly the need for change in the educational sector, as the reason.

Some voters, like 22-year-old Chandana, had to wait almost four years to cast their first vote. The private IT sector employee expressed pride in the distinct changes Hyderabad has undergone. Chandana shared her approach to voting, stating, “I look at what the candidate has done for the nation and for the future of its people. If the correct candidate is in the correct party, it will be good.” She pointed at the unemployment rate as a concerning issue and expressed her wish for candidates to address issues in slums and provide better opportunities for underprivileged people.

Some like Shailaja Malik, an arts student from Sanathnagar, admitted to not knowing the candidate’s name. Party affiliation did not influence her vote, and she was also unaware of the candidates’ track records. “I went inside casually, voted for whom I wanted to, and exited,” she said.

An anonymous voter at polling station No. 71 in Khairatabad expressed a desire for a leader who works for everyone and said that this was more important than party ideology. The voter mentioned familiar leaders from Congress, BRS, and BJP but awaited development. According to this elector, no development has been made in his segment.

The situation wasn’t entirely gloomy, as individuals like Ibrahim Ahmed demonstrated a keen awareness of the elections. The 19-year-old third-year aeronautical engineering student expressed enthusiasm for voting and highlighted the significance of a candidate’s history in decision-making. Ibrahim prioritised development, religious affairs and reducing crime. Meanwhile, selfie points near polling stations turned into a major attraction for first-time voters in Adilabad. Many polling booths, like those in Anukunta, Ambedkar Nagar, and Mavala, witnessed lengthy queues from early morning. Many young voters, who travelled from Hyderabad and other cities to their hometowns, cast their votes on Thursday. 

E Amarendar, an advocate, visited his hometown in Talmadugu mandal a day before polling. He expressed happiness at exercising his right to vote in the Boath constituency. Speaking to TNIE, two first-time voters – Vivek and Ganesh – shared their enthusiasm and said they were pleased to cast their votes. They, along with friends from Hyderabad and Adilabad, returned to their native village to vote. After casting their votes, they said that they captured the moment with a selfie.

5 Lakh
First-time voters exercised their right to vote. Most said that development and the candidate’s track record took precedence for them. Many were unaware of candidates in their constituency

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A high alert has been sounded. Combing operations and stringent security checks on vehicles have been amplified in the villages along the Venkatapuram-Wazeedu road.

KHAMMAM/ADILABAD: On the eve of elections, security measures have been intensified in all mandals across the Agency areas across the Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhupalapally and Mahabubabad districts. 

A high alert has been sounded. Combing operations and stringent security checks on vehicles have been amplified in the villages along the Venkatapuram-Wazeedu road. The police have also made arrangements in the polling stations in left-wing extremism-affected areas across the Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

SP Vineeth G said that after the militants torched a lorry in Pusuguppa village on Tuesday night, the police intensified the combing operations. He said he visited Unjupalli, where Maoists had set fire to a vehicle (a bus) on Tuesday. Along with police personnel, he cleared roadblocks and encouraged the local community to vote on Thursday. 

Extensive security measures have been implemented by officials in Maoist-affected areas of Mancherial and Kumurambheem Asifabad districts. These two districts comprise five segments, Mancherial, Chennur, Bellampelli, Sirpur and Asifabad, which are identified as left-wing extremism-affected. Polling in these areas will take place from 7 am to 4 pm, with the Khanapur Assembly segment experiencing partial Maoist influence.

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Campaigners must refrain from addressing the media by way of press conferences and giving interviews on election matters, says Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj.

HYDERABAD:  “It is 5 pm and the silence period has started’’, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Vikas Raj said and added it would continue for 48 hours, that is 5 pm on Thursday. Star campaigners and political leaders should refrain from addressing media by the way of press conferences and giving interviews on election matters.

According to the CEO, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been promulgated across the state. Stringent action will be taken against those violating the law, he added. Vikas Raj warned that no meetings should be held by any of the political parties. Exit polls are prohibited till half an hour after the end of polling on November 30.

Voter slips should not have party symbols and names of candidates. mobile phones are not allowed in polling stations, he said. As this is the crucial period in view of polls, the District Electoral Officers and police officials have been told to keep a vigil and a close watch around the clock to control the flow of cash and liquor. 

To keep a close watch on voting in the polling stations, webcasting will be done in about 27,094 polling booths across the state and in 757 polling stations, webcasting will be done outside the polling stations.
Vikas Raj said that out of the 1,68,612 postal ballots issued to the service voters, as many as 1.48 lakh people have utilised the facility and another 25,000 voters have the opportunity to use it till Wednesday.

Rapido offers free rides to 2,600 polling booths in Hyderabad

Ahead of the Assembly elections on November 30, ride-sharing platform Rapido announced free rides to 2,600 polling stations in Hyderabad on the day of the election. “By facilitating free bike rides on election day, we intend to encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote,” said Rapido’s Co-founder Pavan Guntupalli. Rapido acknowledges that transportation is a critical factor in voter participation. By announcing this initiative, they aim to contribute in boosting the voter turnout in the city, especially among the younger demographic. The one-time code to avail of the offer is “VOTENOW”.

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According to her, the BRS government has issued a notification for filling up 2.32 lakh jobs and 1.60 lakh have already been filled.

HYDERABAD: BRS MLC K Kavitha on Tuesday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying that she would quit politics if the former AICC president proved that if one extra job was given in any of Congress-ruled states than in Telangana.

Reacting to Telangana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhatti Vikramarka signing an affidavit in a temple and swearing to implement the six guarantees to the people of Telangana, she said the grand old party makes very unreasonable and very absurd promises.

Congress Guarantee Card
1. Mahalakshmi మహాలక్ష్మీ
2.Rythu Bharosa రైతు భరోసా
3. Gruha Jyothi గృహ జ్యోతి
4. Indiramma Indlu ఇందిరమ్మ ఇళ్లు
5. Yuva Vikasam యువ వికాసం
6. Cheyutha చేయూత

Vote For Congress to create the Telangana of our dreams #CongressGuaranteeCard pic.twitter.com/LG7YpmglVP

— Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu (@BhattiCLP) September 17, 2023

"I want to challenge Mr Rahul Gandhi ji and the Congress party. In any Congress-ruled state, if you have given at least one extra job than what the Telangana government has given, I will personally resign from politics," she told PTI.

"Will Mr Rahul Gandhi resign from politics if you can't prove it? If you can't prove it, don't lie to the unemployed youth of Telangana. Do not cheat people, do not cheat our people using bond papers," she further said.

She attacked the Congress party saying all of their 223 candidates have signed bond papers in Karnataka given to the people, but whatever five promises they gave in that state, nothing came true and nothing is working to date.

Kavitha alleged that the Congress, before the Karnataka Assembly polls, promised it would start the process of filling 2. 60 lakh jobs within 100 days after forming the government, but to date, nothing began.

According to her, the BRS government has issued a notification for filling up 2.32 lakh jobs and 1.60 lakh have already been filled.

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The Malkajgiri MP, who is also taking on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Kamareddy, is confident that the Congress will get a landslide victory in the Assembly elections.

HYDERABAD: State Congress president A Revanth Reddy, the feisty leader behind the resurgence of the party, maintains that the goodwill former party president Sonia Gandhi commands in Telangana is the main reason for the party’s upswing. In an exclusive interview with TNIE, he said the affection and respect for Sonia among the people had been lying dormant. “It has been my endeavor right from the beginning to bring this to the forefront. The public mood changed after 2021,” he added.

The Malkajgiri MP, who is also taking on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Kamareddy, is confident that the Congress will get a landslide victory in the Assembly elections. “Take it from me. We will win no less than 80 seats. The BRS will not cross 25,” he asserted, claiming that antipathy towards the ruling party has spread like a virus across the state.

To a query on the feasibility of implementing the party’s six guarantees, which could cost up to Rs 80,000 crore, he replied that it wasn’t difficult as the state gets enough Central schemes. “The additional expenditure can be covered with our revenues. KCR has been abusing the state budget. He never availed of any Central schemes, under which we get several grants,” he pointed out.

The PCC chief, who is among the front-runners for the CM’s post if the Congress were to win, also explained that the priority of his party would be filling two lakh vacancies in the government within a year in a transparent manner. “We will revamp the TSPSC and run it like the UPSC,” he said.

On the Kaleshwaram project, he was of the view that the project had to be rebuilt. “In its present condition, it cannot store water for long. The barrages aren’t built well. Once we come to power, we will recover the cost from the companies concerned. We will also order an inquiry,” he said, adding that inquiries will also be ordered into other alleged scandals such as the inflated cost of the Martyrs’ Memorial. He was guarded on the prospects of him becoming the chief minister, saying that it was up to the party high command to decide who should assume the mantle. 

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The BRS leader said she is requesting the farmers of the state to take note of the situation to realise that the Congress is the enemy which has snatched the payments under Rythu Bandhu.

HYDERABAD: Slamming the Congress for lodging a complaint with the Election Commission requesting it to stop the state government's proposal to make payment to the beneficiaries under the "Rythu Bandhu" scheme, BRS MLC K Kavitha on Monday said dirty politics of the grand old party has once again surfaced.

Reacting to the EC's withdrawal of the permission given to the Telangana government for disbursements of financial aid to farmers, she said the scheme is not an election promise and an ongoing one.

"Dirty politics of Congress has once again surfaced. They are delaying the payment of Rythu Bandhu, which is an ongoing payment. It is not an election promise. It is not a new programme that is made for the elections," she told PTI.

The EC on Monday withdrew permission given to the Telangana government for disbursements of financial aid to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu scheme after a state minister violated the provisions of the model code by making a public announcement about it.

Kavitha said the Congress time and again has been complaining about this programme under which the BRS government has disbursed Rs 72,000 crore benefitting 65 lakh farmers in the past 10 seasons.

The BRS leader said she is requesting the farmers of the state to take note of the situation to realise that the Congress is the enemy which has snatched the payments under Rythu Bandhu and farm loan waiver.

Under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, farmers in Telangana will get Rs 5,000 each per season, with a total of Rs 10,000 per acre annually.

The Congress on Sunday requested the Chief Election Commissioner to impose restrictions on BRS, not to mention the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu amount in their poll campaign.

Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao had made a public announcement about the release of disbursements of rabi instalments.

He had reportedly said, "The disbursement will be made on Monday. Even before the farmers complete their breakfast and tea, the amount will be credited into their account."

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Khan said that four generations of Nizam were closely associated with Gandhi family that was why he joined the Congress.

HYDERABAD: In a significant development ahead of Telangana Assembly polls on November 30, the grandson of the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad State, Nawab Mir Najaf Ali Khan, joined Congress on Sunday in presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. Ali Khan is the son of  Prince Hasham Jah Bahadur.

Interestingly, he is the first person from Nizam’s family to join politics. Khan said that four generations of Nizam were closely associated with Gandhi family that was why he joined the Congress. Kharge said that the Nizam family contributed to the nation. He recalled that the family donated gold to the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during the war with China.

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The 19-year-old student was found hanging in his room in the hostel building on the university campus, they said, adding that he belonged to Nagarkurnool district of the state.

HYDERABAD: A first-year engineering student of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), popularly known as IIIT Basar, in Nirmal district of Telangana, allegedly died by suicide on Sunday, police said.

The 19-year-old student was found hanging in his room in the hostel building on the university campus, they said, adding that he belonged to Nagarkurnool district of the state.

The youngster was depressed after the death of his mother a month ago and had told his family members that he did not want to continue his course at the university, police said based on a preliminary investigation.

No suicide note was found, they added. Further investigations are on.

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HM promises free yatra to Ayodhya Ram temple for TS residents if BJP is elected to power

HYDERABAD:  Stepping up the attack on the Congress and the BRS days ahead of the Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that votes for these parties are votes for corruption, minority appeasement and family rule. He addressed election meetings in Kollapur, Munugode, Choutuppal and Patancheru on Saturday.

In Kollapur, he said that BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao does not think about the youth of Kollapur and only thinks of making his son the chief minister. The union minister said that 2.5 lakh jobs will be provided in a transparent manner after the BJP is elected to power. Stating that KCR has not done anything for mango farmers, he promised to establish processing units to facilitate the export of Kollapur’s mangoes to European markets. The Somasila-Siddeswaram bridge will be completed in a time-bound manner, Shah added.

Highlighting the party’s promise of a chief minister from the Backward Classes (BC), Shah said that the BC leader will strive for justice for the Valmiki Boya and Kuruva communities.

At a corner meeting in Munugode, he warned against casting votes for the Congress, stating that a grand old party MLA candidate of today is the BRS MLA of tomorrow. 

At a road show in Choutuppal, Shah said that “corrupt” KCR should be defeated and family rule should end in the state. He emphasised the party’s promise of a free-of-cost Ram Mandir yatra if the saffron party is elected to power in the state.

At Patancheru, the union home minister promised to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel in the first cabinet meeting itself. Health facilities up to Rs 10 lakh will be provided for free to the poor, he added.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Shah said that while the BJP is launching Chandrayaan, the Congress only wants to launch Rahul Gandhi. It has crashed 20 times, he added.  

The union minister claimed that KCR did not celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day due to fear of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. “We don’t fear Owaisi. Hyderabad Liberation Day will be celebrated like a festival,” he said.

‘Absolutely no chance of alliance with BRS’
Addressing the media in Hyderabad later in the day, the union home minister said there was “absolutely no chance” for a political or tactical alliance with KCR-led BRS. 

Alleging that Rs 22,000 crore changed hands in the Mission Kakatiya ‘scam’, the union home minister emphasised BJP’s commitment to investigating all corruption allegations and stated that those responsible will be put behind bars.

Stating that the credibility of a political party lies in the number of promises they have implemented, he raised questions about various promises made by the BRS such as one lakh jobs, housing for the poor, and super-speciality hospitals in every district.

Shah said a bonus will also be provided, apart from the Minimum Support Price (MSP), on paddy. The government will also buy boiled rice, which KCR does not purchase, he added. “We will ensure that not even one kg of rice rots away in a farmer’s house,” he said.

Refuting allegations of denying funds to the state, Shah said that while the Congress gave Rs 2 lakh crore to united Andhra Pradesh, the BJP sanctioned Rs 2.5 lakh crore for Telangana alone. “The prime minister has given Rs 900 crore for the Sammakka Sarakka Tribal University,” he said. 

Highlighting the announcement of a National Turmeric Board, he said that Rs 100 crore will be sanctioned for research of turmeric which will be carried out in Nizamabad. “The upcoming elections are very important for Telangana as the polls will determine the direction of the state,” Shah said, urging the people of Telangana to vote for the ‘lotus symbol’ for Telangana and the entire country.

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The civic body supplies water for about 30 minutes once in two days and almost always the water is reported to be muddy.

JAGTIAL: You are mistaken if you think the temple town of Dharmapuri, located on the banks of the mighty Godavari River, is free from all temporal problems. The residents of the constituency lack basic facilities including the supply of drinking water. The civic body supplies water for about 30 minutes once in two days and almost always the water is reported to be muddy.

The temple town receives Mission Bhagiratha water from as far as 80 km from Dabba village of Ibrahimpatnam mandal. The muddy water that the residents are forced to use for drinking purposes is often the cause of their ill health. The people also face electricity supply interruptions. “Power supply is erratic. Sometimes, the supply is off for about two hours,” says a local resident N Rajesham.

Authorities say that in view of the replacement of poles and stringing of new lines, they resorted to a power shutdown. The double-bedroom house scheme is a daydream for the people in Dharmapuri. The Rolla Vagu project is still under renovation. Once it is completed, 20,000 acres of land will get an irrigation facility.

The government has announced Rs 100 crore for the development of Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple but so far only Rs 36 crore has been released and the work is yet to begin. There is no degree college in the Assembly constituency.

Students who complete the intermediate course would have to go to towns in other constituencies to seek admission to degree colleges. Though the Godavari River flows close by, farmers have no way of accessing its water for irrigation purposes.

A local resident Srinivas alleged that there were no proper facilities at the crematorium. The constituency was formed in 2009, and since then three general elections and one byelection have taken place. In all these elections Koppula Eswar from the BRS had won.

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