Over 38 per cent polling was recorded till 3 pm in Assembly segment of Nagpur Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency
in Vidarbha region. The Maoist-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency was likely to record higher percentage as naxalites supporting Congress and probably annoyed with BJP ruled government asked electorate to vote in good number.
in Vidarbha region. The Maoist-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency was likely to record higher percentage as naxalites supporting Congress and probably annoyed with BJP ruled government asked electorate to vote in good number.
Polling in seven LS constituencies–Nagpur, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Wardha, Yavatmal, Ramtek and Bhandara-Gondia–Â was under way today in the first phase of the elections in the region.
According to election authorities, polling picked up slowly after the initial hours and there was moderate voter turnout till 10.00 AM. Political stalwarts whose fate will be decided today include Union Minister for Transport and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), MoS for Home, Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur), Nana Patole of Congress (Nagpur) and the former state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre (Yavatmal).
The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was among the early ones to cast his vote for the Lok Sabha polls. Bhagwat along with RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi arrived at a polling booth at Bhauji Daftari School in Mahal area, near the RSS headquarters, around 6.50 am and exercised their franchises by 7.10 am.
Later, talking to newsmen Bhagwat appealed people to come out to vote in large numbers. Voting is necessary and a sacred responsibility of all. Vote for national security, development and identity, he added. Bhagwat said that selecting for NOTA is not a solution. Voters should select his or her candidate, he said and added. “Being quiet does not work, you have to say yes or no.â€
The RSS general secretary Joshi also appealed people to support voting. People should express their choice, he said, and urged them to vote for the candidate whom they think is suitable. According to reports, there was a moderate voting in ultra-left dominated Gadchiroli where over 15 per cent polling was recorded by 10 in the morning. No untoward incidents were reported there, so far, reports further said.
Lowest polling was seen in Chandrapur where hardly 7 per cent voting was recorded till 10.00 in the morning.
