Violence mars voter turnout in MP; 52% polling in West Bengal
NEW DELHI : Violence was reported in Madhya Pradesh where two assembly constituencies, Ater and Bandhavgarh (ST), went to polls on Sunday.
The polling was preceded by controversies related to electronic voting machines.
Villagers allegedly threw stones at the car of Congress candidate Hemant Katare and police vehicles in Ater. Six vehicles were damaged, sources said.
The incident happened at Sankri booth, where Katare had gone to check reports of booth capturing by BJP candidate Arvind Bhadoria’s followers. Additional police force was rushed to the area to control the situation.
In Jharkhand’s Littipara assembly bypoll, about 72% turnout was recorded till evening. The bypoll is viewed as a prestige issue for the ruling BJP and the opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in the state. The BJP is trying to capture a seat that the JMM has held for 40 years.
Polling was peaceful and around 52% votes were cast in six hours in the Kanthi Dakshin assembly bypoll in West Bengal. The ruling Trinamool Congress has nominated former minister of state for health Chandrima Bhattacharya as its candidate.
Bhattacharya had lost from Dum Dum (North) in last year’s assembly polls.
In Karnataka, bypolls to Nanjangud and Gundlupet assembly constituencies were held.
Fresh polls had to be called at Nanjanagud as V Srinivas Prasad, the Congress MLA, resigned after he was dropped from the ministry. Prasad is now the BJP candidate.
These apart, bypolls were held in Rajasthan’s Dholpur, Bhoranj in Himachal Pradesh and Dhemaji in Assam.
(With inputs from HT Correspondents in Bhopal, Kolkata, Ranchi and agencies)
VILLAGERS ALLEGEDLY THREW STONES AT THE CAR OF CONGRESS CANDIDATE HEMANT KATARE AND POLICE VEHICLES IN ATER