Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao led the legislators of Telangana in exercising their right of franchise in the polling to elect the next President of India here on Monday.
In all, 117 of the elected 119 MLAs of Telangana cast their votes in the polling held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Committee Hall of the Assembly Buildings. The polling officials arranged two polling booths.
The ruling TRS MLA from Peddapalli constituency Dasari Manohar Reddy and MIM MLA from Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad Akbaruddin Owaisi did not turn up for the voting on health grounds.
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Mr. Manohar Reddy, according to TRS leaders, is admitted to a hospital. After speaking to his family members, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is also the president of TRS, advised the legislator not take risk and stay away from polling since it would hamper his treatment. Similarly, Mr. Owaisi, according to his party leaders, was away in London for some treatment.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao was the first to cast his vote as soon as polling commenced in the morning, followed by S. Madhusudana Chary, Speaker of the Assembly, K. Jana Reddy, Leader of the Opposition (Congress) and K. Laxman of BJP. Most of the legislators cast their votes by 11 a.m. and the six MIM legislators used their right of franchise by noon. Floor Leader of BJP G. Kishan Reddy was the last legislator to cast vote after 4.30 p.m. In the House of 119, the official strength of TRS is 82, followed by Congress - 19, AIMIM - 7, BJP - 5, TDP - 3, CPI, CPI (M) and Independent -1 each. The value of each Telangana MLA’s vote, according to officials, is 132.