After months of election campaigning, Telangana is set to head for polling on December 7.
The counting for the assembly polls will happen on December 11 along with Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government -- which had dissolved the state Legislative Assembly on September 6 to pave way for the early elections -- is hoping to retain power in the state.
The caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao-led party has been stepping up its campaign to woo voters across the state.
The party is claiming that the policies it had launched were a success and has been promoting their benefits.
The Indian National Congress, along with its alliance partners, is trying to regain its lost bastion. For this, the party has announced a several welfare schemes that it promises to launch if it come to power. It is also criticising the TRS government and its performance.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to make inroads into the state, with a systematic election campaign by its national and local level leaders.
With less than a week to go for polling, voters are ready to decide the fate of the candidates.
Also read: It won't be a cakewalk for TRS as Prajakutami gains steam
According to a survey conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), voters consider factors such as the contesting candidate, the political party, chief ministerial candidate of the party and caste and religion of the candidate, among others.
Here’s are the factors that people are more likely to take into account before voting:
CM candidate
According to the ADR survey, the most important factor that affects voting behaviour of the people in Telangana is the chief ministerial candidate of a party. As many as 62 percent of respondents felt it was ‘very important’. Around four percent said it was ‘not important’ for them and 34 percent said it was ‘important’.
Also read: Alliance could help Congress-TDP gain 16 extra seats, consolidate 37 more
Such voting behaviour in the state could prove to be beneficial for the TRS, which has KCR as their declared chief ministerial candidate. It could negatively affect the Congress-led alliance and the BJP who are fighting the polls without declaring a CM candidate.
Candidate’s party
Around 43 percent of respondents said that the political party, under which a candidate is fighting for, is ‘very important’. Around 34 percent said it is ‘important’ to them. As many as 23 percent felt that the political party was ‘not important’ for them.
If a voter is unhappy with a particular party’s performance, it might affect his/her probability of voting for that party’s candidate. This could impact TRS in case of an anti-incumbency vote. Congress and BJP’s performance at the national level could also influence voter behaviour in favour of or against them.
Also read: Why the Congress lost ground in its bastion in 2014
Candidate
The candidates fighting in their constituency is third most important factor for voters.
According to the survey, 24 percent of the respondents suggested that candidates fighting in their constituency is ‘very important’ while deciding whom to vote for.
According to news reports, several incumbent Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who are re-contesting are facing anti-incumbency. This could make the going difficult for the TRS.
KCR's son and state minister KT Rama Rao had agreed that there was anti-incumbency sentiment against some leaders of the party. KTR, however, believed that it will not affect the party's prospects in assembly polls as it will be "eclipsed" by the image of his father.
Distribution of cash, liquor and gifts:
The ADR report suggests that around 16 percent of the respondents consider distribution of cash, liquor, gifts, among other things to voters, as ‘very important’. Around nine percent respondents suggest it is ‘important’. However, 75 percent said it was ‘not important’.
About 65 percent responders were aware that distribution of cash, gifts and money is illegal and 35 percent were not.
Also read: Muslims to play crucial role in Telangana Assembly polls
Candidate’s caste or religion
As many as 30 percent of the respondents give importance to voting on the basis of cast or religion of the candidates. Around 13 percent of the total respondents considered it ‘very important’, 17 percent said it was ‘important’ and 70 percent said it was ‘not important’ to them.
Assembly Elections 2018: Read the latest news, views and analysis here
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