Bus fares between Hyderabad and various towns and cities in Andhra Pradesh have doubled and tripled for 9 and 10 April as a large number of people from the city are expected to travel to the neighbouring state to exercise their franchise on April 11.

Since polls will be held in AP and Telangana on the same day this time unlike previous occasions there is a possibility that voting percentage in Hyderabad will take a further dip as many voters from AP who have multiple registrations will be travelling to their native places to cast their vote.

This time, with the keen contest between TDP and YSRCP there is an added interest in AP election among settlers in Telangana and hence many of them have brought bus tickets beforehand, leading to a sharp hike in bus far by private operators. People travelling between these two states prefer to travel by bus due to convenient timings.

Reports of large scale deletions from electoral rolls in AP in case of those residing in Hyderabad have also sparked apprehensions among people, particularly from rural areas who fear that they will not get benefits from various schemes announced by government once their names are deleted from electoral rolls.

For instance K Govind who earns a living in the city by ironing clothes for residents of high rise buildings in Madhapur area has brought tickets to visit his native place near Kakinada in East Godavari district. He will be closing his shop for two days and leave on 9 April along with his wife and son to cast vote in AP. “Last time there was a lot of uncertainty because of bifurcation and I did not dare to leave my shop and go to cast my vote. But this time there is a tight contest between Babu (N Chandrababu Naidu) and Jagan (YS Jagan Mohan Reddy) so my vote may be crucial,” said Govind.

However, it is not only the tight contest between political adversaries that has peaked his interest. A number of political parties are also paying for the bus or train fare to get their supporters to exercise their franchise. But instead of doing it directly, political parties use the caste based associations to round up their supporters from various corners of the neighbouring states. “I belong to the washerman caste and our leaders have promised that they will reimburse the bus fare of my family members along with mine if I show them the tickets after we cast our vote,” said Govind.

Laxmi, who works as a domestic help in apartments, is a widow and gets a monthly pension of Rs 2000 from the AP government though she stays in Hyderabad. “If I don’t vote they might delete my name from the list of beneficiaries. Moreover, both parties have promised to increase widow pension to Rs 3,000,” said Laxmi. The bus ticket that usually costs her Rs 700, was priced Rs 1500 this time. “I was lucky because I brought it beforehand. Now, it has crossed Rs2,000 and trains will be very crowded,” she said.

A large number of software professionals from AP have also decided to go home and exercise their franchise, particularly because ECI has declared it a holiday in both Telangana and AP on 11 April. But there is a possibility that Hyderabad’s polling percentage might go down from 48 per cent recorded during last Assembly elections held in 2018.

But there is a bright side as it will indicate about multiple registrations by voters if there are any. This time, polls are slated in both AP and Telangana on 11 April in a single phase.