Bypoll: Harish Rao, Sunitha, Padma exercise their franchise

Hyderabad: polling began for the Medak Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana and Nandigama Assembly Constituency in Andhra Pradesh from 7 AM on Saturday.

Brisk voting was recorded early in the morning with oover 11 per cent polling reported from both the constituencies by 10 AM.

The Medak bypoll became necessary due to KCR becoming the CM. In Nandigama, victorious TDP candidate's death has caused the bypoll.

Irrigation minister Harish Rao casts his vote at Bharath Nagar polling booth in Siddipet . Deputy Speaker Padma Devender Reddy also cast her vote in Konapur village in Ramayampeta mandal of Medak district. Congress candidate Sunitha Lakhma Reddy also exercised her franchise in Gomaram viullage.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, whose resignation caused the vacancy, and his wife will cast their votes in their native Chintamadaka village of Siddipet mandal.

At some booths, the EVMs developed snags causing delay in the start of polling. The officials replaced the faulty EVMs.

Over 15.43 lakh voters are eligible to cast their franchise in the prestigious Medak parliamentary constituency, where poll authorities have set up 1,817 polling centres. About 10,000 security and poll personnel have been deployed in the constituency.

A total of 14 candidates are in fray in Medak but it is mainly a triangular contest. K. Prabhakar Reddy of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) may have a smooth sailing. He is pitted against BJP-TDP combine's Jagga Reddy and Congress party's Sunitha Lakhsma Reddy.

POLLING IN NANDIGAMA: Polling also began in Nandigama assembly constituency in Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh. Over 1.84 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes at 200 polling centres. Four candidates are in fray in Nandigama, a seat reserved for scheduled castes.

The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has fielded Tangirala Soumya, daughter of Tangirala Prabhakar Rao, whose death caused the vacancy. Soumya is locked in a direct fight against B. Babu Rao of Congress party. The two other candidates are independents..