The forthcoming elections to the Telangana Legislative Assembly is likely to witness intense contests among three main contenders, going by the large number of nominations filed by aspiring candidates at the end of November 10 deadline for filing nominations.
In all, 4,798 candidates filed 5,716 sets of nominations for the 119 constituencies which are going to poll in a single phase on November 30. The figure takes the average number of contestants in each constituency to around 40. Given the scope for close contests in several constituencies, votes secured by the independents will become crucial in deciding the fate of the contestants.
As expected, Gajwel, where BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting, reported highest number of 145 nominations. In addition to the nominations of the BRS president and BJP leader Eatala Rajender, several independent candidates filed their nominations from the constituency. The number of nominations is relatively less at 92 in Kamareddy, the other constituency where Mr. Rao and TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy are in the fray.
Sircilla constituency presently represented by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao saw 36 candidates filing their papers while Siddipet from where Minister T. Harish Rao registered successive victories reported 62 nominations.
Medchal constituency on the city outskirts reported 116 nominations being filed at the end of the last day of nominations while another constituency, L.B. Nagar, has 77 candidates contesting for the poll. Several constituencies reported more than 50 nominations filed by the candidates while Suryapet presently represented by Minister G. Jagdishwar Reddy saw 68 nominations being filed and Munugode, the last bypoll for which was won by the ruling BRS, registered 74 nominations.
More than 30 nominations were received in several constituencies in north Telangana districts as well as those in the GHMC limits.
