Poll temperature matches summer sun as MP goes into round-3

BHOPAL: Weather is again a concern as nine seats go to the polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.
The Met department has predicted searing temperatures in polling areas. Bhind, Morena and Gwalior could be the hottest at 47 degrees, while Guna, Sagar, Vidisha, Rajgarh and Betul may see temperatures of 43-44 degrees.In Bhopal, it could touch 43 degrees, 2 degrees hotter than normal.
Politically, too, this is the hottest phase with the high profile seats of Guna, Gwalior, Vidisha and Bhopal going to the polls. 'Mama' Shivraj Singh Chouhan, 'Maharaja' Jyotiraditya Scindia and 'Raja' Digvijaya Singh are in the fray. For each, the election is crucial though for different reasons - Chouhan is aiming a comeback to Parliament and national politics from Vidisha after 18 years, Jyotiraditya is looking for redemption in Guna after being the first Scindia to lose the seat, and Digvijaya is returning to Rajgarh after 32 years.
An electorate of nearly 1.8 crore voters will choose from among 118 candidates. Voting will be held between 7am and 6pm. With such searing heat, the first and last few hours may see heavier voting.
Election Commission has gone all out to protect voters from the heat, ensuring water and shelter at polling booths. The first two rounds saw a sharp drop in polling.

Bhopal temperature rises to 40.7; Met warns of heat wave in MP
Met officials have warned of "severe heat wave" in several of areas where voting is scheduled for the third phase of in the state on Tuesday.
In the past 24 hours in the state, maximum temperature of 43.7 degree Celsius was reported from Datia. Bhopal sizzled at 40.7 degrees Celsius while Damoh was hot at 43 degrees Celsius. While Gwalior was hotter at 42 degrees, in Guna, it was high at 41.8 degrees. Shivpuri and Sagar were close at 42 and 41.6 degrees respectively.
In the forecast for Bhopal on Tuesday, the Met officials have warned that maximum temperature would be above 40 degree Celsius.
The districts where met officials have warned of low discomfort "heat wave" for Tuesday include Gwalior, Datia, Khargone, Khandwa, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashok Nagar and Sagar. In these, polls are scheduled in Gwalior, Datia, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashok Nagar and Sagar districts.