The countdown has begun

The edit page In My Opinion "Battle is over, now wait is for verdict" (THI 8 Dec) was well balanced. Irrespective of the exit poll outcome, people and of course leaders will have to wait for the final verdict on 11 December when fate of both ruling and opposition would be unsealed.

During this round of electioneering the ruling party and its leaders have totally diverted the attention of the people from the real issues to personal attack on families and individuals. The kind of language the Chief Minister of TS used against his opponents has set very bad example and so also the counter by opposition leaders. What was more shocking is many urban pockets in and around Hyderabad none of the leaders who are fighting election against each other have shown their face to either highlight what was their achievements during five years rule (or even less in TS) or the opposition candidates what they want to do better.

No wonder the city witnessed just fifty percent turnout. Incidentally, in the city I also got hear there were large number of missing names though they have cast their vote in 2014 which means the ruling party by default manage to scrap through because many who did not find names may have not necessarily voted for the party in power. As for as other states, the less said the better the way campaign was carried out by leaders led by none other PM Modi. From Gau (cow) to Gothra became a centre stage instead of achievements or otherwise.

Under this scenario, how far the exit poll out come are correct will be known when it is compared with actual numbers cast by voters. As rightly observed by the editor Ramu Sarma, whoever wins they have to give and treat their opponents with due respect because they have also been elected by the people who are supreme in democracy.

The voters only concern if the ruling party in centre led by PM can go any length to win back the states ruled by them, one really shudders how the campaign would take shape for general elections in 2019 as even before the accused Christine Michel in Augusta deal, PM started connect him to Sonia Gandhi family which gives the impression that instead the accused getting punished, he would get used more in public meetings to damage the image of those who are opposing the ruling party in centre. The countdown has begun. - N Nagarajan, Hyderabad