Low turn-out in Gujarat bypolls

Ahmedabad, June 3: Bye-elections to two Lok Sabha and four Assembly seats in Gujarat did not enthuse the voters much going by their low turnout on June 2.

The turnout was poor, particularly in Lok Sabha constituencies of Banaskantha and Porbandar. "Banaskantha seat had around 37 per cent voting while Porbandar recorded 30 per cent," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Manek said, adding that final polling figures will be available only on Monday.

Voting was comparatively high in Assembly seats. Limbadi Assembly seat recorded 62 per cent voting, Morva Hadaf 64 per cent, Dhoraji 33 per cent and Jetpur 45 per cent.

Polling was peaceful everywhere, but at Ribda village in Dhoraji constituency, 1,200 voters boycotted to protest lack of basic amenities in the village. Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MP Mukesh Gadhvi.

In the bypoll Congress fielded his wife Krishna Gadhvi. At Porbandar, the election was held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Vitthal Radadiya.

Radadiya and his son Jayesh quit Congress in February and crossed over to BJP, which fielded the father-son duo on Porbandar Lok Sabha and Jetpur Assembly seats, respectively. State Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia claimed Congress would retain all the six seats.

"Congress party thanks voters of all the six constituencies who came out to vote in favour of the party candidates overcoming all efforts of BJP government to create an atmosphere of fear," he said.

BJP spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said, "Like Assembly elections last year, voters in these bye-elections have also rejected Congress party in favour of BJP whose Chief Minister has brought development to the state."

PTI