The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : There was no dampening their campaign spirit

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

There was no dampening their campaign spirit

S. Harpal Singh

Eager participation: People attend an election meeting on Tuesday in spite of the hot afternoon sun.

ADILABAD: Political parties have promptly shifted concentration on voter turn out in Thursday’s byelections to Adilabad Lok Sabha and Khanapur (ST) Assembly constituencies as the 15-day campaigning came to an end on Tuesday. Individual voters will be informed through ‘poll chits’ their serial number in the electoral and the polling station where they should cast votes. This forms one of the many efforts that will be made to ensure high voter participation in polling.

People’s apathy was not visible anywhere as their participation in electioneering was higher since the beginning of the process on May 5. Thousands of supporters of Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) had flocked to take part in nomination rallies during the week-long period for filing papers for the Lok Sabha and Assembly seat.

Campaigning

Election campaign in the two constituencies began to heat up when TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu came on his ‘Mee Kosam’ yatra between May 11 and 13. He was followed by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao. The trio completed even a second campaign addressing a number of election meetings and road shows.

The inclement weather too left its mark on the campaigning of different parties. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and Mr. Chandrashekhara Rao were indisposed because of the high temperatures. Press photographers on election beat also reported sick. Sunburn was the cause of trouble for many of them.

The surfeit of stereotypical speeches during electioneering did not become a cause for diminishing voter interest. Almost all the 20 meetings and a host of road shows saw people displaying enthusiasm towards the event.

They not only braved the hot mid-day sun but also enjoyed the songs related to elections played by respective parties.

The visits of VIPs needed large-scale movement of men and material. Parties not only organised transport but also meals for the supporters.

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