Loksabha Elections 2024: Citizens launch social media campaigns to boost voter turnout in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Telangana conducted its Legislative Assembly elections on November 30, 2024, boasting a commendable overall voter turnout of 70.60 percent . However, the vibrant city of Hyderabad experienced a stark contrast with a disheartening turnout of only 46.56 percent.

The Election Commission's data revealed Medak leading with an impressive 80.28 percent turnout, followed closely by Mahabubabad at 77.50 percent and Adilabad at 73.58 percent . In contrast, Hyderabad, particularly its southern region exhibited alarmingly low participation, with Yakutpura recording a mere 36.69 percent. Goshamahal and Khairatabad emerged as the exceptions within the city, boasting 54.93 percent and 51.31 percent respectively.

Dismayed by this trend, proactive citizens launched a campaign urging Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) residents to exercise their franchise on May 13, 2024.

Leading the charge, socio-political activist Vinay Vangala in Hyderabad changed his social media handle into a rallying cry: "Let's add 'I Vote For Sure on May 13, 2024'. His initiative quickly gained momentum as fellow Hyderabadis followed suit, adopting the same message."

Vinay Vangala said, "Qualified voters should inspire and encourage others. It's not just a long weekend; it's a festival of Democracy that occurs once every five years. While other festivals happen annually, this one occurs every five years. I'm also collaborating with GHMC teams to improve the voting percentage this time in Hyderabad by creating more awareness. I appeal to Hyderabad voters to vote this time and celebrate the festival of Democracy.

"Let's exercise our constitutional right and play our part. While we've witnessed good voter turnout in rural areas, Hyderabad, despite its abundance of qualified voters, unfortunately lags behind. We're quick to question authorities, yet when it comes to fulfilling our civic duty, we fall short. We're eager to discuss movies, restaurants, and places to visit, but why not prioritise discussions on election dates and improving voter turnout? It's our responsibility not only to vote ourselves but also to ensure all our friends and relatives do the same. If we aspire for a better society, we must prioritise voting to elect better leaders, " he added.

Hima Bindu, a child rights activist who joined the movement, expressed gratitude to Vinay Vangala for his impactful campaign. "This initiative is crucial in addressing urban voter apathy. As a fellow advocate for child rights, I wholeheartedly endorse this effort. Thank you for taking action."

Inspired by Vangala's activism, various entities, including Team Road Squad and Hyderabad Blood Donors, integrated the call to action into their online presence, uniting under the hashtag #IVoteforSure.

Motivated by this movement, both personal and professional accounts, such as Team Road Squad, joined in. The Team Road Squad account enthusiastically declared, "Join the cause! We're incorporating the polling date into our name to encourage voting in Hyderabad. Connect with us using #IVoteforSure. Big thanks to @vinay_vangala for leading the charge!"

Joining the wave of change, the Hyderabad Blood Donors account changed their handle name, saying, "We're adapting our handle to feature the polling date, advocating for voting in Hyderabad. Join our mission with #IVoteforSure. Let's rally Hyderabadis for a strong voter turnout!

As the May 13, 2024, polling date approached, Hyderabad geared up to rewrite its narrative, rallying for a stronger democracy with a significantly higher voter turnout.