Express News Service
RAIPUR: Voting was largely peaceful on Friday with around 70% polling for the second and final phase of assembly elections covering 70 constituencies in central and northern parts of Chhattisgarh. An ITBP head constable was killed in an IED blast triggered by Maoists.
The final figure on the turnout is likely to go up when reports from all polling stations are obtained as the polling continued beyond 5 pm in several booths, sources said. Voters queued up in large numbers outside polling stations since 8 am when the polling began to decide the electoral fate of 958 candidates.
The first phase of polling was held on November 7 covering 20 seats across the Maoist-affected regions. The turnout was a record 78%. Youths and women came out enthusiastically to vote, with rural people reportedly outnumbering the urban voters.
The four assembly seats in the capital Raipur, however, did not show an encouraging turnout with around 55% polling. Principal rivals, the running Congress and opposition BJP interpreted the turnout to be in their favour. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the people have opted for constructive politics defeating the “conspiracy.” “We won the confidence of the people and the second phase of cultural revival and people’s progress will commence with the formation of the new government”, Baghel said.
State BJP chief Arun Sao said the encouraging turnout with women standing in long queues “clearly indicates” the people cast their votes for change in Chhattisgarh. “The BJP is going to form a government on December 3,” said Sao.
In Maoist-affected Gariyaband district, where nine polling centres were declared “hypersensitive,” the outlawed Maoists triggered an IED blast on a route where the polling team was returning after the polls under the security cover of an ITBP unit. “ITBP head constable Joginder Singh was killed in the blast,” said CEO Reena Baba Saheb Kangale.
The second phase will decide if the Congress, which won 52 of the 70 seats in the 2018 assembly elections, continues to be as strong as the BJP strives to make a comeback.
Rural people outnumber urban voters
The first phase of polling was held on November 7 covering 20 seats across the Maoist-affected regions. The turnout was a record 78%. Youths and women came out enthusiastically to vote, with rural people reportedly outnumbering the urban voters.
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