T'gana polls: 56.17 per cent polling recorded till 3 pm

Over 56 per cent of 2.80 crore voters of Telangana exercised their franchise till 3 pm Friday, officials said.

"Polling commenced at 7 am, though at some polling centres there was a delay of 10 to 15 minutes. In one or two cases EVMs needed to be replaced. We have replaced 22 ballot units, 19 control units and 42 VVPATS," Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar told reporters here.

He also said so far, 30 complaints relating to violation of Model Code of Conduct has been received.

According to officials, voting was progressing by and large peacefully in all the 119 constituencies of the state and as of 3 pm the voter turnout was 56.17 per cent.

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, caretaker ministers K T Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, BJP's Telangana president K Laxman, state Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the leaders who cast their vote.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that his party candidate in Kalwakurthy Assembly segment, Vamsichand Reddy, was attacked by BJP cadre in Amangal where he had gone to observe the poll pattern.

However, the BJP's chief spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao denied the allegation saying the Congress was "playing victim games sensing disastrous defeat."
TRS supremo and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao exuded confidence that his party would come back to power in Telangana with a "huge majority."