62 per cent polling in Rajnandgaon bypoll

Rajnandgaon, Mar 29 (UNI) Around 62 per cent of the electorate exceeding 11.74 lakh have exercised their franchise today as polling for the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha bypoll came to a close Chhattisgarh.

Official sources said the polling began on a brisk note but slowed down later by noon apparently due to rising temperatures.

However, balloting picked up by afternoon. The exact figures about the polling percentage could be available only after compilation of data from Chowki, Dongergaon, Khujji, Dongergarh, Rajnandgaon, Khairagrah, Virendra Nagar and Kawardha assembly segments.

Reports said there was a heavy turnout of voters in the tribal areas, particularly where naxalites had killed political workers, including those of the ruling BJP, during the last one year. This was despite Maoists distributing pamphlets urging the people to refrain from exercising their franchise.

Naxals had looted an electronic voting machine (EVM) from Hatrel in Chowki assembly segment last night but polling was unaffected as it was replaced before polling began at 0730 hours.

Fates of 15 candidates, including Mr Leelaram Bhojwani (BJP) and Mr Deorat Singh (Congress) were sealed in electronic chips. The byelection was necessitated following expulsion of BJP MP Pradeep Gandhi from the lower house of Parliament over his involvement in the 'cash for query' scandal.

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