Telangana Municipal Election was held peacefully with over 73 per cent of voters exercising their franchise on Wednesday in the municipal elections which passed off well barring minor skirmishes at a few places. The State Election Commission (SEC) said 73.01 percentage of voting was recorded. "The polling passed off peacefully", DGP B Shivadhar Reddy said.
The DGP, who monitored polling, said elaborate security arrangements were made to ensure that the process was smooth. Minor skirmishes took place at Karimnagar, Sangareddy and some other places, police said.
BJP workers allegedly try to block main road
Police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse a group of BJP workers who allegedly tried to block the main road near bus stand area in Karimnagar protesting against alleged impersonation at a polling station. The BJP workers held a dharna on the road causing traffic jam following which they were dispersed using "mild lathi charge", a police official said. A few BJP workers sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Congress leader and former MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy, popularly known as Jagga Reddy, argued with police at Sangareddy town alleging that bogus votes were being cast. Jagga Reddy accused some police officials of helping bogus voters.
FIR registered against BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri
In Nizamabad, an FIR was registered against BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri for allegedly abusing and making provocative comments against police and going inside a polling booth despite being told not to do so.
Arvind, who went inside the polling booth, allegedly abused and threatened polling staff and policemen, a police release said. The MP was booked under relevant sections of BNS and Telangana Municipalities Act.
CM Revanth Reddy cast his vote at Kodangal constituency
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy cast his vote at his assembly constituency of Kodangal in Vikarabad district, while Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar exercise his franchise in Karimnagar.
The elections were held on party basis in 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations. The outcome is being seen as a test of popularity for ruling Congress and opposition BJP and BRS. State Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud expressed confidence that the party would achieve a resounding win in the polls.
Having suffered setbacks in the 2023 assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BRS came up with a decent performance in the gram panchayat polls and is keen to make substantial gains in the municipal elections to reverse its fortunes in the state.
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