Warangal residents want polls postponed as cases surge

WARANGAL:  With Warangal city turning into a Covid-19 hotbed, a few residents of the city are demanding that the upcoming municipal elections be postponed. They fear that poll campaigns may further spread the infection. On Monday, 146 cases were reported in the city, as per the medical bulletin. Three Covid-19 deaths were recorded in MGM Hospital alone.

The State Election Commission has scheduled the polls for April 30. Major political parties like TRS, BJP and Congress have already begun organising campaign rallies and meetings. The candidates are also preparing for door-to-door campaigns.  Santhosh, a Hanamkonda resident, said it was unwise to conduct the polls at a time when cases were rising exponentially. “The government has cancelled SSC and Inter exams. Why can’t it appeal to the EC to postpone the GWMC elections? The government is indirectly sending a message that its thirst for power is more important than people’s lives.”

Medical and Health Department officials claim that people were neglecting Covid-19 guidelines in public places. “Cases are increasing because people are not careful enough. They should avoid attending public meetings and mass gatherings during elections,” said officials.