Khammam: Voters wait for some assurance before voting

KHAMMAM: The distribution of money to the voters during elections is turning into a mandatory act rather than an evil one. This was evident during the elections of Khammam Parliamentary constituency.

The voters of Annarugudem under Tallada mandal in Sattupalli segment waited till 12 noon for the money from the candidates. They did not go to the polling booths till they received the information about the money reaching them. Later, they were told that some of the local leaders had taken the money from the candidate but had not distributed it.

The same situation prevailed in Balapet and Pinapaka villages in Sattupalli segment. As per sources, the leaders of the main candidate distributed money only to their party sympathisers and activists and did not give it to the others. The ones who were refused decided not to participate in the voting process.

They did not go to the polling booths till 3 pm and the leaders who noticed it, assured them that some benefit would be given to them after polling. It was only after that that they thronged to the polling booths. With this, the poll per cent touched to 75 per cent by the end of the polling.

The same issue was witnessed in Venkatayapalem in Raghunathapalem mandal. Some voters in SC Colony in the village raised the issue about money not reaching them, and did not turn up at the polling booths.

In Regulachalaka village under Raghunathapalem mandal, a group led by TRS boycotted the voting by saying that they were against Mr Nama Nageswara Rao. Khammam MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar visited the village and convinced them to participate in the voting.

Congress candidate Renuka Chowdary visited Suraram in Julurpad mandal and Devunithanda in Kusumanchi mandal to convince the voters to vote. The people of two villages took the decision in protest against solving their long pending land problems. After her assurance, they went to the polling booths.