As anticipated by political parties, the voting percentage in the Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation elections was much lower than that recorded in other municipalities that went to the polls in the district on Wednesday.
Delay in distribution of voter slips, confusion over identification of polling stations and divisions is being cited as the reason behind the low turnout of 64.50% in Vizianagaram. However, the nearby Nellimarla Nagar Panchayat saw a strong shift of 79.68%, followed by Bobbili with 74.64% and Salur Municipality with 72.75%.
Parvatipuram, the second largest city in Vizianagaram district, polled 74.43%. The state executive president of the Lok Ruling Party, Bhiseti Babaji, demanded action against the officials, alleging that they failed to ensure voting rights for all those nominated in the voter list.
“Many voters were disappointed and forced to return to their homes without exercising their voting rights. The administration has completely ignored its responsibility to distribute slips indicating road and booth numbers which are necessary to help uneducated persons find their polling stations without any hindrance, ”he said.
TDP activists staged a sit-in at Katawadehi under the leadership of the party’s minority wing leader Sheikh Khadha Basa over alleged rigging in the 11th and 12th wards. Alleging the ‘ging rigging of votes’, Mr. Basha said that many genuine voters returned without obtaining their voting rights due to confusion in the identity of the polling stations and called for an inquiry.
The district administration breathed a sigh of relief from polling in a peaceful manner, stopping some incidents and agitations. The election was peaceful in almost all the 70 sensitive and 47 sensitive areas in Vizianagaram city. Vizianagaram Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal, Election Supervisor Kantilal Dande and Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police B. The princess supervised the election process.
Meanwhile, both YSRCP and Telugu Desam said they were confident of acquiring the most divisions.
Vijayanagaram MLA Kolagatla Virbhadra Swamy and other leaders of YSRCP are hoping to win in at least 49 of the city’s 50 wards. TDP mayoral candidate Kandi Samantaka Mani said that urban voters were disappointed at the lack of development in the city and added that it would help TDP win a comfortable victory.
.
Leave a Reply