Candidates from all parties of Telangana State Urban Local Body (ULB) polls, especially outskirts to Hyderabad city, are now worried about Sankranti holidays and no chance of election campaign as majority of voters are on vacation to their native places.
As per the schedule issued by the State Election Commission (SEC), the campaign should be ended by Monday evening but, the voters who went to their villages may return to the city either on Sunday or on Monday.
Though education department had given holidays to schools till January 18, 2020, parents have planned their trip up to January 20, 2020 as the 19th January is Sunday. There is a sentiment in Telugu states that the festival Kanuma (16th January), which comes after Sankranti, is forbidden for travel. Similarly, 17th January is Friday. Another sentiment in Telugu community is that won’t send daughters and sisters to their in-law’s home on Fridays. Due to these all circumstances, candidates who are going for campaign are facing locked doors.
Candidates from all the 7 municipal corporations and Municipalities are facing this issue and planning to roam around their respective divisions/wards on Sunday on war footing in order to avoid adverse situations on Monday.
Comparing with the general elections, civic body polls are different as the divisions/words consist of lesser voters and there are chances of changing fate with at least 10 votes. Besides this, candidates are also worrying about leave on polling day. Majority of techies working with various software companies exited in Hitech city, Gachibowli, Nanakramguda, Uppal and Pocharam are staying under the jurisdictions of either municipalities or municipal corporations that are outskirts to city. If the government won’t announce holiday to IT companies and private sector, there may no chance of casting votes as they need to rush to their offices on polling day.
