From high-pitch to low-key, campaign ends in Budhni

Budhni(MP), May 1 (UNI) Starting on a high-pitch note, campaign for the Budhni Assembly byelection which will also decide the fate of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the BJP nominee ends here this evening.

Amid complaints about rampant violation of the model code of conduct and alleged misuse of official machinery, the Election Commission ordered removal of District Returning Officer and Superintendent of Police and postponed the polling from April 24 to May 23.

Besides Mr Chouhan, Mr Rajkumar Patel(Congress), Mr Gulzar Singh Markam (Gondwana Gantantra Party), Mr Narmada Prasad Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and 12 independents are pitted in this constituency spread over more than 350 villages.

As many as 1,74,819 electorate, including 82,498 female, are listed to exercise their franchise through EVMs at 189 polling stations, each manned by at least one Central Government employee.

Two companies of the CRPF and four companies of Special Armed Force, besides district police will be deployed on election duty while 80 booths have been declared ''sensitive.'' Counting will take place on May 6.

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