Barring a stray incident of three jawans receiving injuries in naxal hit areas in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, the polling in seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Vidarbha region was peaceful and voter turnout was heavy, official source said. Three jawans of Commando unit in naxal hit Gadchiroli were injured when a group of naxalites opened fire on jawans after the polls were over. The naxals also fired upon the helicopter carrying the polling party.
The fate of top contestants including BJP sitting MP and Union Minister for Transport, Shipping and Ganga Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur),, his ministerial colleague MoS for Home, Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur), Nana Patole of Congress (Nagpur), Krupal Tumane of Shiv Sena (Ramtek), former MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre his immediate rival and Shiv Sena candidate sitting MP Bhawana Gawali, Sena sitting MP Anandrao Adsul, actress turned politician Navneet Rana are the front line leaders.
Among other prominent include sitting BJP MP Ramdas Tadas and Congress nominee Charulata Rao Tokas, Dr Namdeo Usendi Congress nominee and Ashok Nete BJP sitting MP in Gadchiroli. In Ramtek Tumane is pitted against former IAS officer Kishore Gajbhiye.In Bhandara-Gondia NCP’s Nana Panchbudhe and Sunil Mendhe of BJP are in the fray.
As usual after slow polling in the morning, the polling picked up and after 3 pm heavy turn out was witnessed. At 5 pm, one hour from close, the polling percentage was 53.13 in Nagpur.
The seven constituencies that went to polls today include,Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli Yavatmal and Wardha.
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