Campaigning ends in Kovur

Hyderabad: Curtains came down on Friday on campaigning for the by-polls to the seven assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.
Campaigning in any form is not allowed after 5 pm today, state Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal told reporters.
Polling for the seven segments, six of them in Telangana region, would be held on March 18 from 8 am to 5 

The by-polls to five out of the six constituencies in Telangana region were necessitated due to the resignation of sitting MLAs in support of separate statehood demand. While in Mahabubnagar, it was due to the death of a sitting member and in Kovur due to the resignation of sitting TDP MLA in support of Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
There are 13,82,086 voters in the seven constituencies who will cast their votes in 1660 polling stations.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the polling and security in the region has been tightened, the CEO said.

While the TRS is banking heavily on strong sentiment in favour of separate state to sail through in the by-polls, the ruling Congress is appealing voters citing welfare and development measures undertaken by the state government.

The Congress, Telugu Desam, YSR Congress and other parties wound up their campaign in Kovur Assembly constituency on the final day of electioneering on Friday. District authorities asked leaders who had come from outside the district to leave in accordance with the election code and stay away till the completion of polling.

During the hectic campaign in the past few days, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy campaigned for their respective party candidates.

Actor Chiranjeevi, senior Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao, PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana and other leaders too participated.

Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy continued his campaign till the final day when he addressed meetings at Penuballi, Nagamambapuram and other villages in the segment. He appealed to the voters to reject Congress and TDP, as these parties have no values and credibility.

Congress MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy, addressing a press conference, shot back at Jagan saying that the latter had done injustice to many leaders and confidantes of YSR by distancing them after his death.