Cold wave slows gram panchayat campaign in Medak

A sharp drop in temperatures disrupted morning gram panchayat campaigning across the erstwhile Medak district. Candidates struggled to conduct door-to-door outreach, and voter activity slowed until late morning. With the first phase ending on Tuesday, the cold conditions hampered last-minute mobilisation.

Sangareddy: A sudden dip in temperatures hit the morning election campaign across the erstwhile Medak district on Monday. Sarpanch and ward member contestants have been conducting door-to-door campaigns in the mornings and evenings when voters are usually at home. Afternoons and late evenings were reserved for meetings with followers to plan strategies. But with temperatures dropping sharply, candidates found it difficult to step out on Monday.

Many voters too struggled to wake up early, delaying their routine until after 10 am. Kohir in Sangareddy recorded 6.6 degrees Celsius, while several villages in the district saw temperatures dipping below 10 degrees. In Medak, the mercury fell to 8.4 degrees Celsius, and Siddipet recorded 8.9 degrees Celsius.

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With the campaign set to end on Tuesday evening for the first phase of elections, candidates had planned intense outreach in the final hours. However, the cold conditions disrupted mobilisation and slowed campaign activity, unlike the previous week. Contestants heading into the second and third phases were hoping temperatures rise soon, but those contesting in the first phase were left with no time to recover from the setback.