There was a marked difference in the conduct and participation of political leaders and voters between the Telugu speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
1) Telangana: By and large, mostly peaceful with stray incidents of mischief quickly brought under control.
Andhra Pradesh: Disturbingly violent with higher than anticipated levels of aggressive acts, polling delays and some chaos in the election process.
2) Telangana: Law & Order under control. Mostly, normal conditions and behavioral conduct at all levels of society. Diligent work by the state Police department at the local levels.
Andhra Pradesh: Highly biased, corrupt state Police department with allegations of bribery at all levels of the police force, by the ruling YSR Congress party, causing a breakdown in the Law and Order situation.
3) Telangana: Ample and appropriate state Government and state Police collaboration with the Central Armed Forces as, when and how required, during the election phase.
Andhra Pradesh: Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress-led government with its administrative staff at all levels and the state police force, completely under its control, displayed inappropriate behaviour in its intent of non-collaboration with the Central Security Forces in Andhra.
4) Telangana: The Central Armed/Security Forces will leave the state after Election day or result announcement date, as is the protocol under normal circumstances.
Andhra Pradesh: A completely different scenario in Andhra Pradesh. Shockingly high levels of pre-poll violence, polling-day violence as well as post-poll aggression with an apathetic, ineffective, unresponsive state police force…. as a result of which, the ECI (Election Commission of India) has recommended an extended stay for the Central Armed Forces for a minimum of two weeks beyond the ballot-counting and results announcement date of June 4.
5) Telangana: Political party leaders, representatives, workers and supporters were largely well behaved.
Andhra Pradesh: Several, shameful incidents of intimidation and physical violence to both people and private/public property by leaders and supporters of the incumbent YSRCP party. A majority of these incidents were recorded by ordinary citizens, waiting in long lines to cast their vote. The state police in collusion with booth officers tried to contain the video evidence of several such offences but the verified video footage of the disgraceful behaviour of Jagan Reddy’s leaders have been telecast on local and national television channels.
6) Telangana: Some Pre poll excitement and buzz in the air without intense rivalry with the potential to turn violent.
Andhra Pradesh: High levels of commotion, rivalry, acts of disruption, violence and large scale betting in Andhra in the pre poll as well as post poll time frames!
7) Telangana: Voter turnout was on the lower side, in the sixties on an average in the state while the Hyderabad area witnessed a dismal low, in its forties.
Andhra Pradesh: one of the highest percentages of voter turnout ever and the highest voter participation at almost eighty two percent, recorded in the country, up to the fourth phase of elections.
8) Telangana: National/ Lok Sabha elections only, conducted in a single phase on May 13.
Andhra Pradesh: Simultaneous National/ Lok Sabha as well as State, Legislative Assembly elections, held in a single phase for both excercises, on May 13.
9) Telangana: Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy and his leaders, resisting any unparliamentary behaviour and waiting for the results to be announced.
Andhra Pradesh: Chief Minister, Jagan Reddy, his YSR Congress party leaders and cadre, continue to use words and actions, not befitting positions of authority and responsibility. The CM’s incumbent government has already claimed a major victory for themselves, while the CM is on a vacation abroad, sparking doubts of his intentions and return to India, based on a large number of CBI and ED cases on him.
Telangana Election Highlights
– Large numbers of Telangana cities like Hyderabad, Warangal and border areas of Khammam district,
are natives of A.P. With both states going to the polls on the same day, urban and border-area voter turnout in Telangana, was significantly impacted. It was reported that certain localities in Hyderabad, wore a deserted look on election day because a majority of the residents had travelled to Andhra for voting.
– One of the most interesting contests was from the Hyderabad old city constituency, a muslim dominant area, where the fairly new, female, Hindu woman candidate of the BJP, Madhavi Latha, squared off with a seasoned, four time, male, muslim MP, Asaduddin Owaisi of the Hyderabad-based AIMIM party.
– Madhavi Latha and her supporters have alleged voter ID tampering and fake, out-of-town voters, by the AIMIM party’s supporters. She is reported to have requested a few muslim women to reveal their faces behind the veils, in order to verify their identity per their voter ID cards. Her request caused a minor stir before eventually fizzling out.
– Telangana-based BRS party appears to be at a disadvantage, with lower prospects for Lok Sabha seats than its rival, the recently elected Congress government in the state.
– The BJP is confident of improving its score in Telangana state, seen as a positive sign of the major strides made by it, in recent times.
– While the state Congress unit is predicted to have an advantage, the BJP is hoping to come in second….by bagging more seats than the regional BRS party.
Shivani is a freelance writer from Vijayawada.
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