Contestants on the edge as voters leave for festival

Patancheru: Candidates in the poll fray in IDA Bollarum, Tellapur and Ameenpur municipalities are a worried lot, as residents of these areas are mostly settlers. These settlers are going to their native places for celebrating the festival of kites, Sankranti.

As their houses have been found locked, the candidates and their supporters who are busy campaigning are worried whether these settlers would return in time for voting. The candidates are also worried over the travel to Andhra Pradesh of those going by their own transport and private vehicles, encouraged by the special Sankanti festival holidays.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is arranging 3,000 special buses for the benefit of travelers going to AP. It has designated 26 pick-up points in Hyderabad for those who are visiting far off places in the neighbouring State.

The AP government has appointed 55 manager-level and staff as special officers. Among the special officers is Palle Srikanth of Markapuram RTC depot who takes care of the Beeramguda point in Ameenpur.

Srikanth told the media on Monday that about 3,000 belonging to the Andhra area were headed home for Sankranti. For their benefit special buses have pressed into service, he said.