Raipur (Madhya Pradesh): In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Chhattisgarh on three seats on Friday evening around 6 pm 72.51% of polling was recorded, which is quite high in comparison to neighbouring state Madhya Pradesh.
As per information received, Naxal affected Lok Sabha seat Kanker received 73.50% votes which highest among all. High profile seat Rajnandgaon where former Congress Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is fighting BJP MP Santosh Pandey received 72.93%. Meanwhile, Sahu dominated area Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency received 71.13 % of votes during the polls.
Despite good polling percentage on these seats this time, it remained low in comparison to 2019 polls.
As the election commission yet to announce official figures, so, it has been expected that final figures will be change when official announcements were made.
Moreover, as per the available data, Kanker received 3.7% less votes in compairison to 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Similarly, Mahasamund received 5.97% less votes meanwhile Rajnandgaon received 5.67 % less number of ballots as it received in last Lok Sabha polls.
People observed reduction in polling percentage through various lenses reasoned several factors responsible for it. It includes, Naxal threat, rising mercury, excessive polarization on religious lines and others.
In Kanker’s, Chote Bethiya police station limits on April 16 ,security forces killed 29 armed Maoists in fierce gunfight and there are chances of retaliation from the red ultras. So, very less number of votes were casted in the polling station falling in these areas. Meanwhile, around one kilometer away from the Marbeda polling station of Kanker, Naxals have tied banner on road instructing residents to boycott elections.
In addition, at Todesara polling booth of high profile seat Rajnandgaon, BJP and Congress workers supporters clashed. Ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel who reached the polling booth was manhandled. In the context, he also expressed his complained on the social media that BJP workers intervened and stopped several Congress supporters during the voting. He also raised question over election commission arrangements.
In Balod’s Dallirajhara, people complained about bogus polling. In some places such as 9 villages of Gariyaband district and Belar village of Mahasamund district people boycotted elections alleging that government failed to addressed their problems.
Congress BJP
Bhupesh Baghel------------- Santosh Pandey 9 (Rajnandgaon)
Tamradhwaj Sahu ---------- Rupkumari Chowhan
Viresh Thakur---------------- Bhojraj Nag
