Assembly bypoll in Shivpuri

Shivpuri(MP), June 1 (UNI) Amid tight security, Shivpuri goes to poll tomorrow in the Assembly byelection necessitated due to resignation by then Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia(BJP) on her election to the Lok Sabha from Gwalior in a bypoll.

A total of 1,96,452 voters, including 91,271 women, are scheduled to exercise their franchise through EVMs at 216 polling stations, including 120 identified as sensitive, between 0700 and 1700 hours. Elaborate security arrangements are in place, the election office said.

A total of 15 candidates, including 10 independents, are in the fray.

The campaigning in this urban-rural mix constituency, considered a pocket borough of the erstwhile Scindia royal family, was, by and large, peaceful.

A former Congress leader Ganesh Ram Gautam is the ruling BJP nominee, while Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalist businessman Virendra Raghuvanshi is the Congress candidate.

Samajwadi Party nominee Kavita Hazarilal Kotia and Rashtriya Samanata Dal candidate Kailash Singh Rawat, besides Bhartiya Janshakti candidate Narendra Birthare also also in the fray.

The independents include: Ajit Singh, Aslam, Girraj Koli, Jagna Adivasi, Jandel Singh Gurjar, Dhaniram Parihar, Brijesh Sharma, Dr Rakesh Samadhia Samrat, M K Sharma and Sant Kumar Sharma.

Counting of votes will be held at Madhavrao Scindia Government P G College here from 0800 hours on June 5, election office said.

UNI