Despite the summer heat, steady polling in Rayalaseema districts

Heavy voter turnout in Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Anantapur, and Kurnool, with women dominating, despite scorching heat and rain.

A heavy turnout of voters was witnessed in the Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Annamayya, Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur, and Kurnool on Monday. The voters thronged the polling stations from 6.30 a.m., and numbers picked up gradually by 9 am.

While Anantapur district recorded 68.04% voting by 5 p.m., it was followed by Anammayya district at 67.63%; Chittoor at 74.06%; Sri Sathya Sai at 67.16%, and Kurnool at 64.55%. In a majority of the polling booths, the crowds kept coming after 4 p.m., while the election officials assured the voters who joined the queue lines by 6 p.m. that they would be allowed to cast their votes. Compared to 2019, the number of voters in the rural areas picked up in 2024, while the women voters dominated as usual.

On average, the polling percentage stood between 9-15% in most of the booths in Rayalaseema districts by 9 a.m., but the percentage started crossing 45% and racing towards 55% by afternoon. Hectic polling was reported in Chittoor and Anantapur districts between 3 and 5 p.m. 

Kurnool district witnessed a steady flow of voters to the polling booths from morning till evening. A downpour in several parts of Kurnool district on Sunday night had brought down the temperatures on Monday, coupled with the sky remaining mostly cloudy, giving respite to voters from the searing summer heat.

In Anantapur, the sky remained cloudy with the day temperature hovering around 36%, with drizzling reported from the afternoon. This moderate temperature helped a great deal in a steady voting pattern. 

Chittoor district, however, saw scorching heat with many places crossing 40° C. That was no deterrent for voters, who turned up in large numbers at the polling booths. The voting pattern was considered brisk both in the urban and rural areas as well.

The Rajampeta Lok Sabha constituency, which is spread over the combined Chittoor and Kadapa districts, witnessed brisk polling from morning till evening. The constituency is expected to witness a keen contest between YSRCP’s sitting MLA P. Mithun Reddy and BJP candidate Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.