The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Opposition parties will vie for honours when they go to polls in Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations, Siddipet, Nakrekal, Atchampet, Kothur and Jadcherla municipalities and five wards in various urban local bodies, including Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, to fill casual vacancies.
The campaigning for the polls, which concluded on Tuesday evening, saw ministers E. Dayakar Rao, Ms. Satyavathi Rathod, Mr. Koppula Easwar and Mr. P. Ajay Kumar and ruling party MLAs touring extensively in Warangal and Khammam. The TRS was looking to retain its stronghold in both the corporations where it had won last time. Mr. Nannapaneni Narender and Mr. Papa Lal were elected mayors respectively at Warangal and Khammam but the former was replaced by Mr. Gunda Prakash later on his election as MLA. Finance Minister T. Harish Rao led the campaign at his home turf in Siddipet.
The State Election Commission has ordered strict enforcement of COVID guidelines, factoring in observations also made by High Court on Thursday, for elections to Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations, Siddipet, Nakrekal, Atchampet, Kothur and Jadcherla municipalities and five wards in various urban local bodies. Members of four other wards were elected unanimously.
State Election Commissioner C. Parthasarathi on Thursday held a video conference with collectors, superintendents or commissioners of Police, municipal commissioners and district medical and health officers in places going to polls to brief them about the steps to be taken for the safety of voters from the standpoint of COVID.
It was brought to their notice that a large quantity of face masks, face shields, hand gloves and sanitisers were despatched for supply to poll personnel. At least 15 boxes should be painted in front of polling stations for voters to wait, maintaining social distance, until they were allowed inside.
About 9,800 polling and 4,557 security personnel will be on duty on Friday. As many as 2,500 ballot boxes will be pressed into service and they will all be disinfected.
