Raipur: More than two million voters — or 67 percent of the electorate — defied Maoists to vote in the first phase of Chhattisgarh’s assembly elections that marked the start of the biggest test for political parties ahead of parliamentary polls next year. Sporadic violence left a trooper dead.
All through the day, men and women from the predominantly tribal belt of the sprawling Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district queued up to vote in an election in which the Congress is determined to end 10 years of reign by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
After Maoists called for a boycott of the exercise, balloting began on a dull note — at 7 a.m. in all 12 constituencies of Bastar and one in Rajnandgaon and an hour later in the remaining five seats in Rajnandgaon.
Polling rapidly picked up as the day progressed. By the time curtains came down, 67 percent of the 2.9 million voters involved in yesterday’s voting had exercised their franchise.
A total of 143 candidates were in the fray in the 18 constituencies.
“The poll process was marked by visible enthusiasm. It was largely peaceful. There were sporadic incidents of firing,” Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan said in New Delhi.
A Central Reserve Police Force trooper was killed in a gun battle with Maoists at Dantewada.
A Border Security Force trooper was injured in a bomb blast in Kanker district while a bomb weighing some 10 kg was recovered in Bijapur, police said.
To scare away voters, Maoists triggered blasts in polling booths located in forested areas in Konta, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Antagarh, Bhanupratapur and Narayanpur areas.
Balloting for the 90-member assembly in Chhattisgarh is being held in two phases, with the second round on November 19.
Chief Minister Raman Singh said the high percentage of voting revealed “enthusiasm” among voters which he added was a “good sign for the BJP”.
The ‘None of The Above’ option made its debut in India in the polls.
IANS
