Hyderabad: The low percentage of voting in Hyderabad in the Assembly elections has political parties worried regarding voting in the April 11 polls. Greater Hyderabad covers Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and part of Chevella constituencies.
The Assembly elections were held on December 7, a Friday, a holiday. This was followed by a second Saturday and Sunday, and it is thought that voters took off on holidays.
The polling percentage stood at 48.9 in Hyderabad district and 61.29 per cent in Ranga Reddy district against the state average of 73.2 per cent. The GHMC election voting percentage in 2016 stood at 46 per cent.
This time, the election is being held on Thursday, a holiday. If people take the Friday off, they get a four-day break. In this backdrop parties are worried that there will be greater impetus for voters to take holidays, now that the schools are closing.
Besides, a large number of people are believed to be leaving the city to cast their votes in their native states though they have double-registered votes here in the city. TRS leaders said many outsiders living in the city preferred to vote here during the Assembly elections, but this time prefer voting in their native states, more particularly in AP where the Assembly elections are also being held.
According to estimates of political parties, there are about 20 lakh people from other parts of the country living in the Greater Hyderabad region.
The TSRTC Hyderabad region is running more than 1,200 buses towards other districts and 300 special buses to AP. The APSRTC has deployed 350 special services to TS, in addition to the regular buses. The Railways has arranged 35 special trains towards AP, to cater to about additional 50,000 passengers every day. Another 40 trains travel between the two states on normal days.
This is apart from groups of voters hiring taxis. AP political are said to be making arrangements to transport voters home.
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