47 pc voting in MP bypoll

Shivpuri, MP, June 2 (UNI) Braving the scorching heat, 47 per cent of the 1,96,452-strong voters exercised their franchise today for the bypoll to this Assembly constituency.

Polling began at 0700 hrs amidst heavy security through EVMs in 216 polling centres -- 120 identified as sensitive -- and concluded peacefully -- except for a stray incident -- at 1700 hrs. The electorate includes 91,271 women.

A few persons were slightly injured after two groups of villagers clashed at the nearby Kakarwaya polling centre.

BJP MLA Om Prakash Khateek was detained at Amola Police Station until voting ended, as he was present in the constituency despite an Election Commission ban on ministers and legislators visiting the area.

Five companies, each of the CRPF and SAF -- besides district police -- were deployed, official sources said.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee staged a brief sit-in in front of the State Election Office in Bhopal in support of a demand for repoll.

''Succumbing to pressure from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the district administration allowed booth-capturing,'' party state unit General Secretary Manak Agrawal alleged.

The Congress leader demanded that the Election Commission terminate Mr Khateek's membership as he was found in the area during voting.

''The Collector and Superintendent of Police should be transferred and the Sub-Divisional Officer dismissed,'' he added.

''The district administration informed my office of Mr Khateek's presence and a detailed report has been sought,'' claimed State Election Officer J S Mathur.

The agitation ended after an assurance by Mr Mathur that action would be taken on the report sought from central observers and the administration. Earlier, Congress workers submitted a memorandum alleging booth-capturing by BJP workers.

Fifteen candidates, including ten independents, are in the fray in the bypoll necessitated by the resignation of then State Tourism Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia (BJP) following her election to the Lok Sabha from Gwalior.

Former Congress leader Ganesh Ram Gautam is the ruling BJP nominee, while Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalist businessman Virendra Raghuvanshi is the Congress candidate. SP nominee Kavita Hazarilal Kotia, BJ leader Narendra Birthare and the RSD's Kailash Singh Rawat are also in the fray.

The independents are 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 will take place at Madhavrao Scindia Government PG College here from 0800 hrs on June 5.

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

UNI