68.25% voters celebrate festival of democracy
| Date :24-Apr-2019 |
Staff Reporter RAIPUR:
Despite desperate attempt made by Maoists to disrupt polling by triggering an IED blast, voters in huge numbers were witnessed in almost all the booths n Fate of 123 candidates sealed in EVMs
Whopping 68.25 per cent polling was reported from seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Chhattisgarh, where polling was held today under the third phase of Lok Sabha Elections – 2019, till 7 pm, as reports last came in. The fate of 123 candidates, including 25 candidates each from Raipur and Bilaspur, 14 from Raigarh, 13 from Korba, 15 from Janjgir-Champa, 21 from Durg and 10 candidates from Surguja, were sealed on Tuesday. Polling commenced enthusiastically on Tuesday in all seven Lok Sabha constituencies including Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa (SC), Surguja (ST) and Raigarh (ST), amid tight security from 7 am.
Despite a desperate attempt made by Maoists towards discouraging polling, wherein, they triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast between Sitajhari nullah and Pachpedi nullah in district Balrampur, it didn’t deterred the voters from polling, on the contrary they turned out in huge numbers to exercise their franchise, so much so that the polling percentage in the state had crossed over 55 percent at 3pm. Under the Third Phase of Polling for Lok Sabha Elections -2019 in Chhattisgarh, approximately 1.27 crore people were eligible to exercise their franchise in Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Raigarh and Surguja Lok Sabha constituencies. Polling was conducted peacefully in 15,408 polling booths including 2343 polling booths in Raipur, 2221 in Bilaspur, 2327 in Raigarh, 2008 in Korba, 2173 in Janjgir-Champa, 2183 in Durg and 2153 polling booths in Surguja.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, BJP National General Secretary Saroj Pandey, BJP ST Cell National President Ramvichar Netam, BJP Legislative Party Leader Dharamlal Kaushik, former Assembly Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal, Minister Ravindra Choubey, Tamradhawaj Sahu, Anila Bhedia, Mohammed Akbar, Premsai Singh Tekam, T S Singhdeo, Shivkumar Daharia, Umesh Patel, Jaisingh Agrawal, senior BJP leaders including Brijmohan Agrawal, Rajesh Munat, Vishnudeo Sai, etc and other senior leaders exercised their franchise in their respective areas. Large numbers of newly married couples, many in their wedding attire, reached polling booths to exercise their franchise, he said. The Election Commission of India had deployed over 60,000 security personnel, including paramilitary and state forces, have been deployed in the state for smooth conduct of voting.
During previous Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 10 out of the 11 seats but this time there is stiff competition between BJP and Congress. Polling in Chhattisgarh was conducted in three phases, in the first phase polling was held in LWE affected Bastar (ST) Lok Sabha constituency on April 11 followed by polling in three Lok Sabha constituencies including Rajanandgaon, Kanker (ST) and Mahasamund where polling was held in Second phase on April 18.