Assembly Elections Update: MP records over 60% & Chhattisgar

The voting process is currently underway in Madhya Pradesh for all 230 seats and in Chhattisgarh for 70 seats in the second phase.

These states are witnessing a battleground marked by the enduring rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Presently, the BJP holds sway in Madhya Pradesh, while Chhattisgarh is governed by the Congress.

In Madhya Pradesh, voting hours are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., except in specific areas like Baihar, Lanji, and Parswara assembly seats of Balaghat district and certain booths in Mandla and Dindori districts where voting concludes at 3 p.m.

In the second phase of Chhattisgarh's elections, voting spans from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except in nine polling stations of Bindranavagarh assembly constituency, where voting operates from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The state has set up over 18,000 polling stations, including 727 booths operated exclusively by women polling personnel, for this critical phase. Before voting begins, a mock poll is conducted 90 minutes earlier, with a total of 64,626 polling stations established across Chhattisgarh.

Madhya Pradesh Highlights:

Free Poha: A shop in Indore offered free Poha (a traditional dish) to individuals who cast their votes before 9 a.m. today.
Prominent Figures Casting Votes: Early voters included Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Congress leader Kamal Nath and his family, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Prahlad Patel, state BJP president VD Sharma, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Industries Minister Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon, and the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anupam Rajan, as reported by PTI.
Incident Involving Kamal Nath's Son: Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, mentioned an incident where he was stopped from entering a polling station, citing allegations of misbehaviour by a BJP councillor towards women voters.
Voter Turnout: The voter turnout stood at 45.40% by 1 p.m.

Prominent Figures Casting Votes: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and Uma Bharti, a former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, cast their votes at respective polling booths.
Incidents of Violence: Incidents of violence, including stone-pelting outside polling stations in Bhind and Morena's Dimani seat, were reported. Police responded promptly, and heavy security measures were implemented.
Machine Errors Addressed: Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan addressed reports of glitches in a few voting machines during practice polling, stating that problematic machines were promptly replaced.
Security Measures: Close to 700 companies of central forces and around two lakh state police personnel were deployed for security during the elections.
Representation of Key Figures: Three Union ministers and four Lok Sabha MPs were fielded by the BJP for the Madhya Pradesh polls.
Prayer Offerings: BJP candidates, including Union Minister Prahlad Patel, Kailash Vijayvargiya, and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, sought blessings at religious sites before casting their votes.
Key Promises in Manifestos: Both BJP and Congress made significant promises in their manifestos, focusing on various aspects, including welfare schemes, education, and agriculture.

Chhattisgarh Highlights:

Voter Turnout: The voter turnout in the Chhattisgarh Assembly seats stood at 55.31% by 3 p.m.
Second Phase of Polls: The second phase of elections in Chhattisgarh comprises a keenly contested battle between the incumbent Congress and the BJP, striving to seize power from Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's leadership.
Polling Details: The polling duration is until 5 p.m., except in nine Naxal-affected booths in the Bindranavagarh constituency, where voting was conducted from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Candidate Details: Notable candidates from the Congress include CM Bhupesh Baghel, Deputy CM TS Singh Deo, Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant, and eight state ministers. Key BJP candidates consist of Union Minister Renuka Singh, MP Arun Sao, MP Gomti Sai, LoP Narayan Chandel, and several former ministers.
Previous Voter Turnout: The initial phase of the polls witnessed a 78% voter turnout.
CM Bhupesh Baghel's Participation: Incumbent CM Bhupesh Baghel cast his vote and expressed confidence in Congress' prospects.
Boycott and Issues Raised: Instances of voting booth boycotts surfaced in Thenthaguddi village over developmental grievances, emphasizing the demand for road construction before participation in the electoral process.