High-octane campaign ends in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad/Amaravati, May 11 (IANS) The high-octane poll campaign in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh came to an end on Saturday. Polling for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, and for all 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled on Monday (May 13). Mikes fell silent at 6 p.m., after more than three weeks of hectic campaigning which saw top leaders of national and regional parties criss-crossing the two Telugu states. Election authorities in both the states heightened their vigilance to ensure that there are no violations of rules in the 48-hour ‘silence period’.Chief electoral officers have asked district election officers and superintendents of police to deal firmly with any violation of the rules.On the last day of the campaign in Telangana, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed a couple of public meetings each, making a last appeal to voters for support their respective party candidates.Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also held a couple of roadshows besides accompanying Priyanka Gandhi for the meetings in Chevella and Zaheerabad constituencies.Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who completed his bus yatra on Friday, addressed a press conference on the last day of the campaign, stressing the need for having voice of BRS in the Parliament to protect the interests of Telangana.BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and another key leader T. Harish Rao also held a few roadshows. Telangana is witnessing a three-cornered contest in majority of Lok Sabha seats.BRS, which lost power to Congress in Assembly elections held in November 2023, is trying hard to make a comeback.The ruling Congress is looking to continue the good show while BJP is confident of improving on its performance in the recent polls.The high-voltage campaign saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda, Central ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and other leaders campaigning for the party with public meetings and roadshows.For the Congress, party leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a few public meetings.However, the campaign was mainly led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who addressed 57 public meetings and corner meetings in 27 days.He also campaigned for the party in Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.The BRS campaign was led by party chief KCR with his bus yatra, covering 13 constituencies in 17 days.His son KTR and nephew Harish Rao were the other star campaigners for the party.The campaign saw no-holds-barred attack by leaders with some even making personal and derogatory comments against the rivals.Interestingly, every party accused the two others of having a secret understanding.The Congress attacked BJP over alleged plans to change the Constitution and end reservations for SCs, STs and Backward Classes.The BJP hit back at Congress and also targeted BRS over corruption, appeasement