Assembly polls: Record 71% turnout in Madhya Pradesh, 81% in Mizoram

BHOPAL/AIZAWL: Voters in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram turned out with gusto on Monday with the former recording its highest-ever turnout of over 70.55 per cent and Mizoram notching up 81 per cent — marginally shy of its highest-ever polling figures of 82.54 per cent.
MP’s Sheopur and Hoshangabad districts polled 83 per cent and were the highest in the state where around 3.2 crore people stepped out to vote to decide the fate of over 2,500 candidates.The overall women voter turnout, too, was impressive at 68.91 per cent though the figure in case of men was higher at 72.5 per cent. Though voting was overall peaceful, Bhind, Morena and Khargone witnessed sporadic violence in which two people were killed.
The nephew of a Congress candidate was shot dead by BSF jawans in Sumaoli constituency of Morena after which the administration clamped prohibitory orders as a precautionary step. The jawans opened fire after Bhura Kansana, 27, nephew of Aidal Singh Kansana, Congress candidate from Sumaoli, threatened voters at a polling booth. “He took a bullet below his knee and was taken to Morena hospital and then to Gwalior where he died of excessive bleeding,” Chambal DIG DK Arya said.
In Kasrawad, Khargone, Congress worker Kalu Yadav, 38, was killed in a clash with BJP supporters over a dispute outside a polling booth in Sadari village.
“Polling in Madhya Pradesh was brisk but for some stray violence. Around 30 people were arrested for violence in Bhind and Morena,” deputy election commissioner Sudhir Tripathi said. Fifteen FIRs were filed across the state and 67 people were arrested.
26 booths in 13 MP districts boycott polls
Voters boycotted polls in 26 booths in 13 districts but officials said polling in these places had taken place late in the evening. Chief electoral officer Jaideep Govind said, “Villagers boycotted polls in protest against lack of roads and basic civic facilities.”
Elections to the 40-member House in Mizoram were peaceful with Mizoram People’s Forum (MPF), the church-sponsored election watchdog, keeping vigil in all 1,126 polling stations in the state. “Polling was peaceful. The constituencies of Tuivawl, Serlui and Chalfilh, which faced threat from of militants, recorded high turnout,” said Mizoram chief electoral officer Ashwani Kumar.
For the first time in Mizoram, the EC has introduced the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in 10 assembly constituencies of Aizawl city.
Chief minister and PCC president Lal Thanhawla cast his vote at 9.45 am in Aizawl North-III constituency, where his younger brother, Lal Thanzara, is contesting as a Congress candidate. Lal Thanhawla is contesting from two seats Serchhip and Hrangturzo. “I am confident of a thumping majority,” said the CM, adding that the opposition parties could not find any fault with him despite filing 1,000 RTI applications as his government was clean.
Mizo National Front (MNF) chief and former CM Zoramthanga, too, sounded confident of victory. “We will form the people’s government,” said Zoramthanga. He did not come to vote in Aizawl and instead cast his vote by postal ballot.
The MNF, along with Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and Maraland Democratic Front (MDF), have formed a pre-poll alliance, Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA), to take on the ruling Congress.
Altogether 142 candidates, including six women, are in the running. Both Congress and the opposition alliance are contesting all 40 seats. Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) is contesting 38 seats, while BJP has fielded candidates in 17 constituencies. NCP is fighting in two seats.
Congress had swept the 2008 polls winning 32 out of total 40 seats. While MNF had bagged three seats, MPC and ZNP won two seats each. MDF managed to get only one seat.