65 per cent polling in Budhni

Bhopal, May 4 : An estimated 64.60 per cent of the 1.74 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the Assembly byelection in Madhya Pradesh's Budhni yesterday, from where Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was in the fray as BJP candidate.

State election office sources today said 70.42 per cent of the male voters and 56.92 per cent of the female voters exercised their franchise through EVM at 189 booths in the peaceful polling.

Besides Mr Chouhan, Mr Rajkumar Patel (Congress), Mr Gulzar Singh Markam (Gondwana Gantantra Party) and Mr Narmada Prasad Yadav of Samajwadi Party, besides 12 independents were in the fray, Budhni seat fell vacant as Mr Rajendra Singh(BJP) resigned to pave way for Mr Chouhan's entry into the Vidhan Sabha.

About 75 per cent polling was recorded in the constituency in the 2003 assembly election.

UNI