Political parties make efforts to make independents withdraw

With even 2,000 to 5000 votes to each of these candidates could change the outcome of the election, mainstream political party candidates are holding discussions with them by deputing their men.

Sangareddy: Since the fight in the Lok Sabha elections is expected to be very close between the three main political parties in Medak and Zaheerabad constituencies, contesting candidates from the main political parties are making efforts to make independent candidates withdraw their nominations.

With even 2,000 to 5000 votes to each of these candidates could change the outcome of the election, mainstream political party candidates are holding discussions with them by deputing their men.

---

While the Medak Lok Sabha constituency got nominations from 54 candidates, the Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency got 40 nominations.

In Zaheerabad, election officials rejected nominations of 14 out of 40 candidates while in Medak, officials rejected only one out of 54 nominations. Since there would be only 15 candidates and one NOTA can be accommodated on one EVM, the election officials have to use four EVMs in Medak, if all 53 candidates are in the fray. This, political parties believe, could lead to confusion among voters.

In Zaheerabad, election officials have to use two EVMs. To avoid confusion and losing of votes to independent candidates and other small political parties, the candidates from these three parties were consulting them to make them withdraw from the election fray.

These independents are reportedly being offered prominent positions in their parties while the ruling Congress is said to be even offering nominated posts to some candidates.

As the last date for withdrawing the nominations is Monday, the independent candidates were getting calls from candidates from the main political parties.

The candidates, those who were not willing to withdraw from the election fray, had switched off their phones and left to some isolated locations as the leaders were deputing their followers to even their houses.

Since identical symbols were also impacting the fortunes, a prominent political party leader told Telangana Today that the symbols allotted to independent candidates may also impact their fortunes.