About 75 per cent of 1.39 crore voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday for the second and the final phase of polling in Chhattisgarh for 72 seats that sealed the fate of 843 candidates of which 75 were women.
Chhattisgarh’s chief electoral officer Sunil Kujur informed that tentatively 74.65 per cent polling was recorded and the final figure could settle around 80 per cent once all voting data are compiled in a day and two. The 72 seats which went to polls on Tuesday had seen 71.09 per cent voters’ turnout in 2008 Assembly polls.
The peaceful polling witnessed sporadic violence in Congress citadel Saja seat in Bemetara district where leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey is facing the toughest challenge of his long political career from labhchand Bafna of the BJP. Director General of Police Ramniwas informed that 3-4 people who were reportedly in drunk tried to disrupt voting at a polling booth at village Bhindarwani.
“A 33-year-old man, Ashok Sen, was killed on the spot while two others were injured when a CRPF jawan opened fire on to control the situation,’’ Ramniwas told The Pioneer. He added that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to establish the exact sequence of the incident.
Chhattisgarh has total 90 seats and voting for 18 seats was concluded on November 11. Results will be declared on December 8 along with those of the other four poll-bound States. In the last Assembly polls held in 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats while the Congress and the BSP bagged 38 and two seats respectively.
With the curtain finally came down on polling in Chhattisgarh, the BJP which is in power in the mineral-rich state for a decade and the opposition Congress too made separate claims of making Rs clean sweep with new records’. Chief Minister Raman Singh who led the entire BJP’s poll-campaign and touched 89 out of the total 90 seats barring Kharasia where slain Congress state chief Nandkumar Patel’s son is in fray, said he would form Government for third successive term with new records.
“Trend suggests the BJP would form government smashing all previous records, the high voters turnout mainly by women and youth in both the phases, is a recognition of all good works of my government, I thank people for extending whole-hearted support to the BJP,’’ the Ayurvedic doctor-turned politician Singh told The Pioneer.
Congress face of the campaign, Ajit Jogi, claimed that massive voters’ turnout in both the phases, has brought an end to a decade-old scam-hit BJP regime. Rs Rs The chapter of the 10-year-old gross misrule and scam-hit BJP regime in Chhattisgarh is all over, we will get formal confirmation on December 8,’’ Ajit Jogi told reporters in Bilaspur district’s Marwahi seat where his lone son Amit Jogi is launching his political career.