Polling underway in Telangana's Munugode assembly constituency bypoll

Of the total, 105 booths have been identified as critical. The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for polling, including deployment of 3,366 state police and 15 companies of central security personnel. The bypoll has assumed a critical political significance as the winner would have an edge over others ahead of next years Legislative Assembly polls in Telangana.

Polling was underway amid tight security in the bypoll to Munugode Assembly constituency in Telangana on Thursday. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 am. Over 2.41 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the election. There are a total of 298 polling stations and web casting would be done from all of them. Of the total, 105 booths have been identified as 'critical.' The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for polling, including deployment of 3,366 state police and 15 companies of central security personnel. The bypoll has been necessitated by the resignation of sitting Congress MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy from the party from his post in August. He has joined the BJP and is seeking re-election. While 47 candidates are in the fray, the main contest is confined to Raj Gopal Reddy (BJP), former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy of TRS and Congress' Palvai Sravanthi. The bypoll has assumed a critical political significance as the winner would have an edge over others ahead of next year's Legislative Assembly polls in Telangana.