31.22% turnout in Rampur, 54.50% in Khatauli till 5pm
MEERUT : Barring a few incidents of EVM malfunction, bypolls to the Rampur and Khatauli seats of western UP witnessed 31.22% and 54.50% polling, respectively, till 5pm on Monday amid elaborate security arrangements. The fate of 24 candidates in both constituencies would be revealed after counting on December 8.
Samajwadi Party leaders alleged that the district administration and police were supporting the BJP in the polling and officials were discouraging Muslim voters and SP supporters to cast their votes.
SP leader Azam Khan’s son Abdullah Azam had an altercation with an ASP over the issue of “voters of a particular community being discouraged from casting their vote.”
Khan’s wife Tanzeem Fatima, after casting her vote at Raza Inter College, described the polling as a “mockery” where people of a particular community were discouraged from exercising their franchise.
Azam Khan had also levelled similar allegations against the district administration and police while SP-RLD alliance candidate Asim Raza staged a dharna outside the SP office on Sunday, demanding that polling be held under the control of Army. As many as 10 candidates were in fray from Rampur, but the main contest was between BJP candidate Aakash Saxena and SP-RLD alliance candidate Asim Raza.
Azam Khan had contested 12 times from the Rampur constituency and defeated his rivals 10 times. The by- election was declared as the seat was declared vacant after Azam’s conviction in a hate speech case.
In Khatauli, polling began picking up slowly and 6.9% voters cast their votes till 9am, which rose to 40.2% at 3pm and 54.50% voter turnout was recorded by 5pm. Two incidents of EVM malfunctioning were reported from the booths of Nawla and Ghanshyampura villages. The machines were replaced immediately.
Long queues of voters were seen at all 369 polling booths of the constituency and eleborate security arrangements were made to ensure peaceful polling.
Fourteen candidates were trying their luck in the bypoll, but the main contest was between SP- RLD alliance candidate Madan Bhaiya and BJP’s Rajkumari Saini.
The constituency has 3,12,446 voters and Muslim voters are decisive in ascertaining the victory or defeat of candidates in fray.