Telangana polls: Top leaders return home as campaigning ends on Tuesday

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar announced the election schedule for the five poll-bound states on October 9 and with this, the model code of conduct came into force in the states

The high-decible campaign for the Telangana Assembly polls will come to an end at 5 pm on Tuesday, November 28. The state has witnessed the the longest poll season compared to the other four states — Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan — where elections were already held. With only two days to go, liquor shops will also remain closed till the end of elections. The elections in Telangana will be held on November 30. 

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Rajiv Kumar, announced the election schedule for the five poll-bound states on October 9 and with this, the model code of conduct came into force in the states. Among these states, Telangana is the only state where elections are due.

 

Under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is trying to retain power for a third consecutive term, while the Congress has been fighting tooth and nail and went all out to make a comeback. 

BJP, on the other hand, gave it its all by fielding national-level leaders to make a dent in the politics of Telangana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amith Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among the key leaders who campaigned for the BJP in Telangana.

However, most of the top BJP leaders have returned to their homes. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka are reported to be in Telangana for one more day of campaigning, according to a Deccan Chronicle (DC) report.

As many as 2,290 contestants are in the fray for the upcoming elections, including BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his minister-son KT Rama Rao, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy and BJP Lok Sabha members Bandi Sanjay Kumar, D Arvind and Soyam Bapurao.

KCR is contesting from two seats-Gajwel and Kamareddy- as is Revanth Reddy-Kodangal and Kamareddy. The BJP has fielded its MLA, Etala Rajender, from Gajwel, besides Huzurabad, where he is the incumbent legislator.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a dozen meetings during the campaign period, besides a roadshow in Hyderabad on Monday amid huge fanfare. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.