Telangana: 77.81% voter turnout in final phase of local body elections

HYDERABAD: Barring minor incidents of mix-up of ballot paper and poll boycott in a couple of villages, the last phase of polling for zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs) and mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) was peaceful in the state on Tuesday. The third and last phase recorded 77.81% polling.
The polling was held for 160 ZPTC and 1710 MPTC seats in the state. Apart from these, repolling was conducted for two MPTCs_ Alwar in Siddipet and Aziznagar in Ranga Reddy districts, which were deferred in the first phase.
The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has declared 77.81% voters turned out in the state. Yadadri-Bhongir, which had topped in the previous two phases of local body elections, recorded 88% followed by Khammam district with 86%. Nalgonda and Suryapet district have registered over 85% polling in the elections. In the final phase, official sources said , change in ballot papers of MPTC candidates was reported in Baddepally village in Hajipur mandal in Mancherial district. Instead of Baddepalli candidates, ballot papers of Rapelli MPTC candidates were given to the voters. Polling staff realised the mix-up after local leaders brought it to their notice and polling was suspended immediately.
In Vikarabad district, Bikkareddygudem villagers boycotted polling claiming that no development works were taken up in their village for the past few years. Similarly, Gollapalli Chervu Mundu Thanda villagers of Akannapet mandal of the district too boycotted polling as their village did not have a polling station.
Meanwhile, an MPTC candidate, Racharla Ramulu from Tallapusapalli village in Mahbubabad district, allegedly attempted suicide by consuming sleeping pills fearing defeat in the local body elections. He was with TRS before the elections and contested on a Congress ticket as he could not succeed in getting ticket from the pink party. He reportedly borrowed money to contest elections and was worried about repaying it.