Non-local netas to exit Huzurabad constituency 72 hours before vote: Election Commission

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) new norm that all non-local leaders should leave poll-bound Huzurabad constituency 72 hours before polling has come as a jolt to parties who are now reworking their strategies.
Top leaders of the TRS, BJP and Congress, who are not voters of Huzurabad assembly segment in Telangana, have been camping in the constituency for the last three months.
They have been personally monitoring and implementing strategies and participating in campaigns. All such non-local leaders will have to leave Huzurabad constituency by Wednesday evening, ahead of the bypoll to the constituency on Saturday.
Sources said the think-tanks of the three parties have started making strategies to maintain the connection with the voters through their local leaders until the polling is over.
“If the campaigning in the last few months was important, the last 72-hours before the polling are even more crucial for the three parties to win the elections. The local leaders and sleeper cells will get activated and their role in alleged distribution of money, liquor and other freebies would have a lot of impact on the poll prospects of the candidates in the fray,” said a political observer.
The chief electoral officer Shashank Goel told TOI that the ECI, keeping in view the Covid-19 situation in the country, has laid down the new guideline that campaign through loudspeakers, road shows and public meetings will come to an end 72 hours before the polling as against the 48-hour earlier norm. The election authorities will strictly implement the norm.
“The leaders who are not voters of the constituency have to leave the area by 7pm on Wednesday. However, the local leaders can make door-to-door visits of the voters up to 48 hours before the polling,” Shashank Goel said.
Former minister Eatala Rajender told the people on Sunday said all top leaders who are coming from outside the constituency and promising sops, schemes, projects will go away.
“Only I will remain here amongst you and only I will deliver the promises made to you by me. They are not going to come back once elections are over,” he said.
Finance minister T Harish Rao, who has been spearheading the campaign for the ruling TRS, said Gellu Srinivas Yadav was a local candidate who would continue to work for the welfare of the people of Huzurabad. Also, he promised the people that he would personally visit Huzurabad every month and ensure the implementation of all promises made by him.
Even the Congress is depending upon its local leaders to toil hard and ensure victory of party candidate Balmoor Venkat.