RE-POLL TO BE HELD IN PURANAPUL DIVISION ON TOMMOROW FRIDAY

Re-polling has been ordered in Puranapul Division of the GHMC on February 5 consequent to the clash between the Congress and MIM supporters on the polling day on February 2. The re-polling will be held between 7 am to 5 pm on Friday in 36 booths of the Division having an electorate of 36,413.

            Counting of votes in the 150 Divisions for which polling was held on February 2, which was scheduled to take place on Friday from 7 am has been postponed due to re-polling in Puranapul. It would now commence in the evening after completion of the re-poll in Puranapul.

It may be mentioned here that Congress candidate from Puranapul Division Mohammed Ghouse and the MIM MLA from Charminar Pasha Qadri entered into an heated argument at the fag end of polling time on Tuesday. With the supporters of both the parties virtually coming to a clash, the  police detained both Mohammed Ghouse and Pasha Qadri.

style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">However, the situation became tense and turned violent with the arrival of MIM's Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and TPCC leaders Uttam Kumar Reddy and Shabbir Ali. Even as the leaders were engaged in a verbal war, the vehicle of Uttam Kumar Reddy was damaged and Shabbir Ali was assaulted by MIM supporters. The police brought the situation under control with great difficulty.

The attack on the Congress leaders triggered a protest dharna by the Congress leaders before the DGP's Office on Tuesday evening and the calmed down after an assurance that the culprits would be dealt with according to law. The incident also led to widespread resentment and criticism by all political parties and even resulted in an all-party delegation meeting Governor ESL Narsimhan at Rajbhavan demanding immediate arrest and booking criminal cases against Asaduddin and other MIM leaders involved in the ugly incident.

As a sequel to this incident, the State Election authorities have decided to order a re-poll in Puranapul on Friday.