Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: 70.59% Voter Turnout Recorded in Second Phase

A voter turnout of 70.59% provisional was recorded in the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections for 70 constituencies on Friday. Voting was held under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel.

In the second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections held on Friday, a provisional voter turnout of 70.59% was recorded. The voting took place under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel in 70 constituencies across the state.

Naxal Attack Kills ITBP Jawan

During the polling process, a jawan from the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) lost his life in a blast triggered by Naxalites in Gariaband district. The incident occurred when a polling team, escorted by security personnel, was returning after conducting the voting.

Voting Details

Polling in the 70 constituencies began at 8 am and concluded at 5 pm, except in nine polling booths in the Naxal-affected Bindranawagarh seat in Gariaband district. Due to security reasons, voting in these booths was held from 7 am to 3 pm. The highest voter turnout was recorded in the Sanjari-Balod seat (Balod district) at 84.07%, while the lowest was in Raipur City South (an urban constituency) at 52.11%.

Key Candidates and Seats

The second phase of polls will determine the electoral fate of several political heavyweights, including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his deputy T S Singh Deo, eight state ministers, and four Members of Parliament. In the 2018 assembly polls, the voter turnout in the second phase was 76.62% for 72 seats. This time, two of those constituencies were covered in the first phase of polling held on November 7.

Incidents During Polling

While the polling process was largely peaceful, a few incidents were reported. In Kasdol assembly constituency of Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, a woman died of unknown reasons while standing in a queue to cast her vote. In another incident, a man was killed in an elephant attack when he was heading towards a polling booth in Korea district.

Leaders Cast Their Votes

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel exercised his franchise in Kuruddih village in his constituency Patan (Durg district), while Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and his wife cast their votes in Civil Lines, Raipur. Several other ministers, state BJP chief Arun Sao, and Union Minister Renuka Singh were among those who cast their votes.

Tough Fight Expected

The main contest is expected to be between the BJP and the Congress, with a three-way fight likely in several seats of Bilaspur division, where former CM Ajit Jogi's party and the BSP have pockets of influence. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has also been focusing on seats in the division.

The second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections saw a significant voter turnout, with several key candidates in the fray. The results of this phase will play a crucial role in determining the political landscape of the state.