By IANS,
Hyderabad : Voter apathy marked the polling in the Hyderabad civic polls Monday, the first test of strength for the political parties after the April-May elections to the state assembly and the Lok Sabha.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections also come in the changed political scenario following the Sep 2 death of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.
Enthusiasm was lacking among voters as low turnout was recorded in a majority of the booths to elect the 150-member civic body. About 35 percent of votes were polled till 3 p.m.
Despite appeals by political leaders and celebrities, people preferred to enjoy the holiday away from the polling booths. The political parties, however, were hopeful that the turnout would improve.
Barring minor incidents of clashes among workers of rival parties, the polling remained peaceful.
About 5.7 million voters are eligible to cast their votes to decide the fortunes of 1,310 candidates, including 403 women, in the fray.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu, Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) chief K. Chiranjeevi, Lok Satta leader Jayaprakash Narayan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Bandaru Dattatreya and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the leaders who cast their votes.
Actors N. Balakrishna and Nagarjuna, tennis star Sania Mirza, state Election Commissioner A.V.S. Reddy, Director General of Police Girish Kumar also exercised their franchise and appealed to people to participate in the democratic process.
This is the first municipal election after Greater Hyderabad was created in 2007 after merging eight municipalities and 12 villages of neighbouring districts with Hyderabad. This has made Greater Hyderabad the second biggest urban agglomerate in the country after New Delhi in terms of area (621.48 sq km).
Over 10,000 policemen have been deployed as part of the security arrangements for the elections at 5,719 polling centres. Election authorities have pressed 13,347 electronic voting machines into service.
The counting of votes will be taken up Nov 26 while the mayor and deputy mayor will be elected Dec 4.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah increased his party’s stakes Sunday by throwing a challenge at Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu that he would resign if the TDP wins one seat more than the ruling party.
The last election to the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) was held in 2002. The TDP, which was in power had won majority of the seats in the then 100-member body in alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The TDP candidate was elected mayor in the direct elections held to the post.
This time the newly-elected corporators and ex-officio members (state legislators and MPs) will elect the mayor.
While the Congress is contesting all 150 seats, the TDP has fielded candidates in 141. The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which is likely to emerge kingmaker in the event of a hung house, is contesting 70 seats.
Of 24 assembly constituencies which come under the GHMC limits, the TDP could win only one in the recent elections. The MIM captured seven seats while the BJP and the Lok Satta won one each. The remaining seats were won by the Congress.
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is not contesting the municipal elections as it has decided to intensify the movement for separate statehood to Telangana region, which also includes Hyderabad.