Low turnout in Jalgoan, Erandol and Ramtek LS by-polls in Mah

Mumbai, Apr 9 (UNI) A low turnout was reported today in the Lok Sabha by-polls held in three constituencies in Maharashtra with Jalgaon and Erandol reporting 35 per cent turnout and Ramtek 44 per cent voting upto 1700 hrs, Election Commission sources said.

The by-election is being held in Ramtek, because Subodh Mohite, who was elected in 2004 on a Shiv Sena ticket, resigned from the party and the House to join the Congress. He is now a nominee of the Congress in the by-poll. Shiv Sena has fielded Prakash Jadhav, while Congress rebel Ranjit Deshmukh is contesting as an independent.

In the Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituency, the main contest is believed to be between Dr Arjun Bhangale of Congress and BJP's Haribhau Jawale, although a total of 11 candidates are in the fray.

Five candidates are in the fray in Erandol, but the main contest is expected to be between NCP's Vasantrao More and BJP's Dr B S Patil.

The election for these two constituencies was necessitated due to the resignation of BJP sitting MPs Y G Mahajan and M K Anna Patil from Jalgaon and Erandol respectively as they were implicated in a 'Cash-for-Query' sting operation.

UNI