Parties shift focus from campaigning to influencing voters in Adilabad

With campaigning for civic polls ending in the erstwhile Adilabad district, political parties are alleged to be using inducements to influence voters. Officials said 692 candidates are contesting elections to one corporation and four municipalities, with over 6,60 lakh voters set to participate

Adilabad: Political parties shifted focus to inducements as campaigning for elections to 11 municipalities, including a corporation, came to an end across the erstwhile Adilabad district on Monday.

Parties and candidates are now relying on influencing electors through various means, following the prohibition on canvassing of candidatures from Monday 5 pm onwards. Some are reportedly throwing parties and offering bribes to electors to influence the outcome of results in the civic bodies. They are also secretly distributing biryani and liquor bottles to voters at night.

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Candidates of various parties have appointed agents and are using their relatives and friends as well to reach voters in localities. Officials said 692 candidates from various registered parties are in the fray from one corporation and four municipalities in the district. While 240 candidates are contesting from 60 divisions of the newly created Mancherial Municipal Corporation, which is going to polls for the first time, 172 candidates are in the fray from Bellampalli, 107 from Chennur, 113 from Kyathanpalli and 60 from Luxettipet municipalities.

As many as 6,60 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the elections. Mancherial Municipal Corporation accounts for 1.81 lakh voters, while the Adilabad civic body and Nirmal municipality have 1.43 lakh and 98,200 electors respectively.