MahaYuti Vs MVA, and urban apathy
Barring stray incidents of violence, clashes among the rival party workers and a few natural deaths, polling in the Assembly elections passed off peacefully in Maharashtra, as 58.22 per cent of the total 9.7 crore voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm across the state.
Like always, the voter turn-out was low in urban areas, particularly in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Thane. At 5 pm, Mumbai city recorded a dismal 49.07 per cent of polling, while 51.76 per cent voters turned out for polling in Mumbai suburbs.
Thane recorded 49.76 per cent polling, while in Pune, 54.09 per cent voters exercised their rights. However, in Nagpur, 56.05 per cent of electors cast their votes. The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that it would update the voter turnout figures at 11.45 pm. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.
In all, 4136 candidates are contesting for the 288 Assembly seats. "Despite a range of measures by the Commission for ease of voting, and motivational campaigns, urban voters in the state continued their dismal record of low participation in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Thane. Simultaneous polling for all 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra in a single phase," an ECI spokesperson said.
The main battle in the polls is between the ruling MahaYuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the polls. There are also candidates from several smaller and Independents - many of whom are rebels from the six major parties which constitute MahaYuti and MVA.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which heads the ruling MahaYuti, is contesting 148 seats. Its allies -Eknath Shinde-Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP - are contesting 80 seats and 53 seats respectively.
On the other hand, the Congress, which heads the MVA, is contesting 103 seats, while its allies Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded candidates in 89 constituencies and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) is contesting 87 seats. The MVA has allotted the remaining six seats to its smaller allies.
The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded the largest number of 237 candidates followed by Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi from which 200 are in the race. The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is contesting 128 seats.
The BJP is involved in direct fights with the Congress in at least 75 constituencies across the state. In Vidarbha alone, the two major parties are slugging out against each in as many as 36 out of the total 62 constituencies in the region. While the Shinde Shiv Sena will slug it out with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena in as many as 39 seats. The feuding NCPs, one led by Ajit Pawar and another headed by Sharad Pawar himself, will take on each other in 36 constituencies.
Meanwhile, but for some stray incidents, the polling passed off peacefully across Maharashtra. In Beed, an independent candidate Balasaheb Shinde, 45, suffered a massive heart attack at a polling station where he had gone to cast his vote. He was declared dead upon admission to a nearby hospital.
A 67-year-old man Shyam Dhaigude died of a cardiac arrest at a polling booth in Morve village in Satara district in western Maharashtra. In the third tragic incident, 39-year-old Suman Yadav, serving as an ASHA worker in the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation, was killed in a train accident while she was on way to perform her polling duty.
After heated arguments, the supporters of BJP candidate Suresh Dhus and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) candidate Mahebub Shaikh in Bedarwadi village of Ashti constituency in Beed district.
Tension prevailed for some time in the sensitive Kolhapur North constituency after clashes between workers of the ruling Shiv Sena and the Shiv Sena (UBT). However, the situation came under control after the intervention of senior Congress MLC Satej D. Bunty Patil. Nashik's Nandgaon constituency saw heated arguments and a scuffle between Independent contestant Sameer Bhujbal and the SS (UBT) candidate Suhas Kande
In Yeola constituency of Nashik district, NCP (AP) Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was physically stopped from visiting some areas in Kharwandi by supporters of rival candidates including NCP (SP) nominee Manikrao Shinde.
In Mumbai, some persons allegedly prevented ruling Shiv Sena candidate Sanjay Nirupam from going around in his Dindoshi constituency, which led to angry exchanges with supporters of the SS (UBT) strongman and rival Sunil Prabhu.
Final phase of JMM Vs NDA clash
Polling was peaceful as nearly 68 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in 38 constituencies in Jharkhand where voting for the second and final phase of the Assembly elections ended.
The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led INDIA Bloc is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, while the Bharatiya Janata Party-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trying to wrest it. The first phase of elections was held on November 13, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.
A total of 1.23 crore voters, including 60.79 lakh women and 147 third-gender electors, were eligible to exercise their franchise on Wednesday, another official said. Altogether 528 candidates are trying their luck in the second phase of the elections. A total of 57 leprosy patients also voted for the first time at Jamtara in the State Assembly elections and expressed hope that the new government will solve the problems faced by them. They exercised their franchise at a dedicated booth, decorated with confetti, set up for them at Snehpur Community Building in Mihijam, during the second and final phase of Jharkhand Assembly polls on Wednesday.
Ramgarh registered a turnout of 71.98 per cent, followed by Dumka 71.74 per cent, Godda 67.24 per cent, Sahebganj 65.63 per cent, Giridih 65.89 per cent, Hazaribagh 64.41 per cent and Dhanbad 63.39 per cent. The lowest turnout was recorded in Bokaro district at 60.97 per cent till 5 PM.
As far as Assembly constituencies are concerned, the Maheshpur seat registered the highest voter turnout at 79.4 per cent, followed by Nala segment at 78.75 per cent and Sarath in Deoghar at 77.94 per cent. Silli in Ranchi from where BJP ally All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party’s chief Sudesh Mahto is contesting recorded a turnout of 76.7 per cent.
The Barhait seat where Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting reported a 66.13 per cent voter turnout. The Gandey Assembly constituency, where the chief minister’s wife Kalpana Soren is seeking re-election, registered 72.83 per cent polling.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged electors to participate in the great festival of democracy in Jharkhand, and asserted that “your every vote is the strength of the state”.
While Chief Minister Hemant Soren also said the second phase of polling would “play an important role in the creation of golden Jharkhand, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also urged voters to participate in polling for a better future.
Of the total 14,218 polling stations, the responsibility of the entire voting process at 239 was in the hands of women and 22 were manned by persons with disabilities (PwDs), Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said.
Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said he had filed a complaint with the Election Commission against a presiding officer for allegedly “favouring a ruling party candidate” in Madhupur Assembly constituency during voting. Dubey claimed that following his complaint, the officer was arrested.
However, the Deoghar administration said the officer, identified as Ramanand Kumar Paswan, was replaced after being found too close to the voting compartment, which is against Election Commission rules.
BYPOLLS
Over 50 per cent voter turnout in by-polls
A voter turnout of over 50 per cent was recorded in the bypolls to 15 Assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand on Wednesday amid stray incidents of violence and complaints of irregularities against police officials and misuse of government machinery.
The Election Commission’s update at 5 pm showed the voter turnout at: Ghaziabad (33.30 per cent), Katehari (56.69 per cent), Khair (46.43 per cent), Kundarki (57.32 per cent), Karhal (53.92 per cent), Majhawan (50.41 per cent), Meerapur (57.02 per cent), Phulpur (43.43 per cent), Sisamau (49.03 per cent).
In neighbouring Uttarakhand, a voter turnout of 56.78 per cent was recorded in the Kedarnath Assembly bypoll till 5 pm. The Kedarnath Assembly seat in Rudraprayag district fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat in July.
In Punjab, a voter turnout of 59.67 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in the bypolls to four Assembly segments The Gidderbaha seat recorded 78.10 per cent polling, Dera Baba Nanak 59.80 per cent, Barnala 52.70 per cent and Chabbewal 48.01 per cent. A minor clash took place between the AAP and Congress supporters at Dera Pathana village in the Dera Baba Nanak segment. Workers of both parties were also engaged in heated arguments. In Kerala, polling in the Palakkad Assembly by-election saw a turnout of 54.64 per cent.