Hyderabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minster A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast their votes for the municipal elections on Wednesday.
The Chief Minster reached Kodangal in Vikarabad district by a helicopter from Hyderabad and cast his vote at a polling centre at Zilla Parishad High School.
Revanth Reddy, who represents Kodangal Assembly constituency, exercised his franchise for elections to Kodangal municipality.
After his return to Hyderabad from Kodangal, the Chief Minister will leave for New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet top Congress leaders.
Polling was underway for municipal elections in 116 municipalities and seven corporations in Telangana amid tight security.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast his vote in Madhira municipality in Khammam district.
Ministers exercised their franchise in their respective districts. Labour Minister G. Vivek polled his vote in Mancherial.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president cast his vote at a polling centre in Nizamabad.
BJP MP from Nizamabad D. Arvind also cast his vote for Nizamabad Municipal Corporation.
The polling, which began at 7 a.m. at 8,191 polling stations in all municipalities and corporations, will end at 5 p.m.
A total of 52,17,413 voters are eligible to cast their votes in 2,981 wards in the 123 urban local bodies.
The SEC has deployed 1,379 Returning Officers and 41,773 polling staff for the polling process. It has arranged webcasting at all polling centres.
State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini has appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise. She said voters can download the voter slips through SEC website or TE-POLL app.
A total of 12,944 candidates are testing their political fortunes in these elections.
Polling was on for 2,569 wards in 116 municipalities. Twelve candidates in nine municipalities have been elected unopposed.
A total of 10,719 candidates are in the fray 116 municipalities. They include 2,358 candidates of ruling Congress party, 2,478 of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and 2,252 of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Polling was on for 412 wards in seven municipal corporations. Candidates in two wards in Mahabubnagar and Ramagundam were elected unopposed.
Authorities have set up 2,174 polling centres in seven corporations. As many as 2,225 candidates are in fray in these corporations. They include 410 candidates of Congress, 401 of BRS and 382 of BJP.
–IANS
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