Hyderabad, April 23: Congress and Telugu Desam activists put up faux celebrations claiming “victory” outside the party offices but party bosses admitted in private that they could fall short of majority after the second phase of elections concluded in the state on Thursday.
Congress leaders privately said they would win about 140 seats. The TD top brass said the Grand Alliance would secure about the same number, though the TD chief, Mr N. Chandra-babu Naidu, said at a press conference: “If my calculations are correct, Mahakut-ami will bag 200-plus Assembly and 30-plus Lok Sabha seats. We will celebrate Diwali on May 16 (results day).”
The Praja Rajyam leadership was hopeful of securing 40 to 50 seats. Praja Rajyam leader Chiranjeevi put things in perspective when he said in Tirupati: “I will be king, not kingmaker.”
The second and final round of polling amidst sporadic incidents of violence, including the killing of a Congress worker in Prakasam district by Telugu Desam activists. In contrast, there were 21 deaths in poll-related violence including 13 in the second phase in 2004 elections.
Attackers damaged Electr-onic Voting Machines in about 40 places in all, led by Kadapa district and followed by Prakasam and Anantapur.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Dr I.V. Subba Rao, placed the tentative voter turnout at 72 per cent; the recorded figure on Thursday night was 69.9, as against the first phase poll percentage of 69.75. There were long queues in about 400 polling stations even after polling concluded at 5 pm and voting was likely to go for next three hours in some of these places.
The huge turnout of women and young voters threw the calculations of party bosses. Congress leaders saw the women voting for them.
“Women cast their vote in large numbers. It is an indication for the victory of the Congress. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy, enjoys good clout among women with his Arogyasri and other schemes,” said Mr Tulasi Reddy, the PCC spokesperson. The TD leaders claimed that the women and youth will be an added advantage for the GA. “The presence of women in large numbers indicates that women approved of the cash transfer scheme. We believe that the huge turnout of young voters will bring good fortune for our party as Mr Naidu has got considerable following among youngsters,” said Mr K. Ramamohana Rao, TD senior leader.
The PR leadership pinned its hopes on the same vote bank. “As people are desperately seeking a change, they thronged the polling booths to exercise their franchise with enthusiasm for Chiranjeevi,” said the PR general secretary, Mr Allu Aravind.
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