The stage is set for the by-elections of the Huzurnagar Assembly segment, the first election after the general elections.
In a multi-cornered fight, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Congress were tied neck to neck but the BJP and TDP are confident of making their mark.
Around 2.36 lakh voters, nearly half of them women, will decide the political fortunes of 28 candidates including 15 Independents on Monday.
Authorities have set up 302 polling centers in the constituency located in Suryapet district, a Congress stronghold.
While the Congress is trying to retain its seat represented by TPCC Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, the TRS has a point to prove to the state that KCR still matters despite his "not-so-effective" second term.
The TRS has fielded Saidi Reddy, who lost to Uttam Kumar Reddy in December 2018 elections by a margin of 7,466 votes.
Uttam retained his MP seat and quit the Huzurnagar MLA seat.
Shadowed by the TSRTC employees strike, the ruling TRS is pitted against the entire opposition, with even the CPI deciding to withdraw its support to the TRS following the infamous “self dismissal” of more than 48,000 TSRTC staffers.
TRS campaign also received a shock with the chief minister cancelling his public meeting citing heavy rain and landing problems as reasons.
Money and Liquor flows
The election authorities have so far confiscated Rs 89,54,500 cash; 16,649 liter of illicit liquor and huge quantity of IMFL bottles making the election one of the costliest bypoll in Telangana.
For the first time, all 102 police vans were connected through GPRS.
In all, 27 mobile and another 27 strike force teams will be manning all the main routes.
Despite the strict vigil by the Election Commission, the candidates have succeeded in reaching the voters with offers ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. It is believed that the cash and liquor have reached their destinations ahead of the final round of canvassing.