POLITICS
The first phase of polling in the Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections has started despite the presence of anti-electoral and Maoist forces in the state. The results are awaited to determine the mood of the region.
The New Leam Staff
Chhattisgarh | Polling for Legislative Assembly elections has started in Chhattisgarh on 12th November, amidst opposition by the Maoist groups and strong political campaigning by BJP and Congress in the State. In the first phase of the assembly election voting began at 7 A.M in 10 out of the 18 constituencies. As per the electoral roll there are 31, 80,014 voters registered in the state out of which 25.12% voters had casted their votes till 1 P.M in the first phase of the assembly elections.
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Elections to the legislative assembly of the state have been planned in two phases. The first phase began today in South Chhattisgarh for 18 seats and it will resume on 20th November for the remaining 72 seats in North Chhattisgarh. The result would be out by 11th December 2018. Total of 190 candidates are contesting the election from 90 districts of Chhattisgarh state, out of which 8 districts are Maoist occupied areas. 4,336 polling booths have been set up for the first phase and 19,079 polling personnel have been deployed.
High security is observed in and around the polling areas, after Maoists declared to boycott the elections and also they have been taking violent steps in the past few weeks. Maoists in Dantewada had warned the villagers that their fingers would be cut if an ink mark was seen on them but villagers have shown courage and have come out to vote, out of the 263 registered voters of that region many have come out to vote.
Two IED bombs weighing 5kg and 10 kg, respectively, were found in a village at Bhanupratappur Assembly constituency. The bombs were in Kodekurse police station limits and were diffused by the Bomb Disposal Squad. In another incidence of clash between Maoists and state security personnel’s, two personnel from Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) were injured in the Bijapur’s Pamed area.
Although Maoists are strongly opposing participation in the election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has asked the villagers to come out in large numbers and vote and exercise their democratic right to make the elections successful. At present the state is ruled by the BJP government which whose term of office will be terminated by March 2019.
Chhattisgarh election results would be an important factor in predicting the mood of the voters right before the 2019 general elections, political parties and political analysts look forward to know the response from the state.
